Consumer Protection

• Investigation into tickets allegedly sold for more than the allowed 110 per cent.
• Viagogo urged to do more to prevent illegal ticket sales on their website.
• Evidence that some tickets on Viagogo are at least double the original price.

Consumer Protection is investigating ticket re-selling website Viagogo for possible breaches of WA’s anti-scalping laws and is alerting WA ticket buyers.

• Scammers target parents, pretending to be children needing urgent money
• Losses from WA victims amount to almost $120,000
• Parents urged to verify sender before sending money or credit card details

A growing number of victims in WA are falling for a text scam that targets parents who receive desperate messages for help from impostors pretending to be their son or daughter.

With their mesmerising patterns, earthy tones and Dreamtime narratives, it’s little wonder that Aboriginal art and crafts are displayed on walls in homes right across the world.

While much of the allure of buying your own piece of Aboriginal artwork is knowing it has been created by an Aboriginal person, a new report demonstrates why there’s a good chance this may not be the case.

• Vast majority of dealers/repairers inspected found to be complying with the law
• Inspections carried out in Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River areas
• Three vehicles issued with defect notices and one unlicensed repairer found

A sweep of parts of WA’s South West by Consumer Protection automotive officers has recently given the vast majority of motor vehicle dealers and repairers in the area a tick of approval.

• Online retailer attracts more than 100 WA complaints with $27,000 owing
• Many products not being delivered and refunds not being provided
• Warning not to purchase goods from this website with huge backlog of orders

Consumer Protection in WA is raising the alarm about a national online retailer that has attracted a large number of complaints relating to non-delivery of goods and failing to provide refunds.

• Scams may follow the leak of personal information and proof of identity documents
• Affected consumers urged to be on high alert for approaches by scammers
• Devices should be secured and accounts monitored closely for unusual activity

Current and former Optus customers affected by the data breach are being urged by Consumer Protection to be vigilant over the coming weeks for scams and misuse of their identity.

A Caversham real estate agency and its property manager have been fined a total of $12,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for overcharging eight owners of Pilbara rental properties 132 times.

Arcturus Nominees Pty Ltd, trading as Polaris Realty, was fined $8,000 and property manager Robyn Dale Staggard was fined $4,000 for failing to exercise due care, diligence and skill, breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and the Code of Conduct. They were also reprimanded.

A motor vehicle might have many owners over its lifetime, so one of the most important things you can do when buying a used car is to thoroughly investigate its history.

Unlike ‘statutory’ write-offs which can only be used for spare parts, it is legal for ‘repairable’ write-offs to be registered and sold in Western Australia, so long as these vehicles have passed a safety inspection.

• Unlicensed motor vehicle repairer to pay $3,000 fine and $418 in costs
• Repairer ignored four warnings to re-apply after his licence expired
• Licensing laws important to maintain high industry standards in WA

A Bayswater motor vehicle restorer and repairer who ignored several warnings about operating without a licence has been fined $3,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court.

• High complaint numbers prompt reminder to research solar installers
• Issues involve poor quality parts, installers not using due care and skill
• Some complaints about companies that have gone out of business

WA consumers looking to install home solar energy systems are urged to select their installers carefully, following a high number of complaints reported to Consumer Protection.