Consumer Protection

• Scam victims lured by promises of a high income for little work
• Employment scam quickly evolves into a Ponzi scheme
• Victims tricked into paying more fees for a higher status and income

WA job seekers have fallen victim to an elaborate employment scam and Ponzi scheme that has so far claimed ten victims who have reported losing a total of $130,300.

The largest individual loss reported to WA ScamNet at Consumer Protection was $83,000 with the lowest being $2,400.

• Unauthorised withdrawal of a $50,000 deposit after business sale settlement
• Business broker and his company fined a total of $7,000 plus $1,000 in costs
• Warning that violations of trust account laws will not be tolerated

A West Perth business sales agent and his company have been fined by the State Administrative Tribunal after making an unauthorised $50,000 withdrawal from the agency’s trust account.

Keeping your wits about you following a car accident or breakdown is not always easy – you may be in shock, the traffic behind you is probably piling up and your vehicle needs to be moved off the road to somewhere safe. 

The last thing any motorist needs in a stressful situation like this is to be threatened, misled or harassed by unscrupulous tow-truck drivers looking to get their business.

• 44 WA consumers have lost almost $90,000 in pet scams so far in 2022
• Scammers exploit emotional attachment to their fake images and videos
• Advice to shop locally and physically inspect the pet before paying

Images of cute puppies and kittens are being used by scammers to lure their victims into paying thousands of dollars for a pet that doesn’t exist and the consumer losses are substantial.

• Know your consumer rights before shopping for Mother’s Day gifts
• Don’t be fooled by ‘was/now’ advertising, make sure discounts are genuine
• Most gift cards have a minimum three year expiry date

Consumer Protection is reminding shoppers of their rights to help them find the best gift for Mother’s Day.

Executive Director for Consumer Protection Trish Blake is encouraging online or in-store shoppers to research their options before deciding to buy.

• Unlicensed dealer ordered to pay more than $9,000 in fines and costs
• 13 vehicles sold illegally over a 16 month period
• Public plea for community to help stop backyard vehicle trading

A man who bought and sold vehicles from his Marangaroo home without a licence has been ordered to pay a total of $9,262.50 in fines and costs by the Joondalup Magistrate Court.

Hussain Al Hussein was fined $3,800 and ordered to pay costs of $5,462.50 on 30 May 2022 after being prosecuted by Consumer Protection.

• Fire risk from several models of LG home energy storage batteries
• 450 of the recalled batteries are estimated to have been installed in WA
• Affected consumers should switch off the battery and contact LG or SolaX

WA’s electrical and product safety regulators are alerting consumers about a national recall of some LG-branded home energy storage batteries, which may overheat and ignite.

Welcoming a new pet into your family is an exciting time, so the last thing you’d want to discover after bringing the animal home is any unexpected issues or problems.

An emotional bond has likely formed that could make an exchange or refund out of the question, while a ‘repair’ could equate to expensive vet bills and a dispute with the seller.

Unfortunately, issues with pet purchases are on the rise. In the last 12 months, Consumer Protection received 72 complaints, up from 55 complaints the previous year.

• Backyard dealer fined $8,000 for no licence and false odometer readings
• Two deceived buyers to receive $2,500 in compensation
• Potential buyers urged to be skeptical of vehicles with unusually low kilometres

Buying and selling vehicles without a licence and deceiving two buyers about odometer readings have resulted in a Yokine woman being ordered to pay a total of $17,400 in fines, consumer compensation and costs.

• 174 vehicles bought and 147 sold without a licence in about 12 months
• Backyard operators robbing consumers of their rights
• Public urged to report illegal operators to stamp out the practice

A sole director and his company have been fined a total of $40,000 for illegally buying and selling a high number of motor vehicles from his Stirling home without having a dealer’s licence.