Consumer Protection

• Real concerns that defective vehicles from flood areas will be sold in WA
• Potential buyers urged to find out the vehicle’s full history before purchase
• A number of checks can be carried out to make an informed decision

WA consumers are being warned to be vigilant with fears that flood-damaged vehicles from the eastern states will be sold in WA.

Consumer Protection urges buyers of second-hand vehicles to question the seller about the history of the vehicle and to specifically ask if it has been damaged by floodwaters or is a write-off.

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.

A sudden ceiling collapse can turn a comfortable home into a disaster zone in an instant, with the potential for serious injury and significant damage to property and possessions.

Consumer Protection recently became aware of two tenants who had been given seven days to vacate their rental property following the collapse of their living room ceiling.

• Online retailer takes payment for goods that don’t arrive within a reasonable time
• Hundreds of complaints received by consumer protection agencies in Australia
• Consumers urged to avoid placing orders with the retailer at this time

WA consumers are being warned about shopping with national online retailer Kingdom Warehouse, based in Melbourne, as many of their customers have failed to receive their goods or any refunds.

There’s a lot to weigh-up when buying a car, such as the make/model and how much you want to spend, but one important thing to investigate is who you’re actually doing business with.

We’re warning consumers to be wary of backyard operators who buy and sell multiple vehicles as a profit-making business, as they may rob unsuspecting consumers of their rights to a warranty and other remedies should something go wrong with the vehicles after purchase. 

• Increase in reports of younger people being blackmailed over intimate images
• Victims targeted via social media sites, particularly Snapchat and Instagram
• Advice is don’t send any money as more demands may follow

Consumer Protection and WA Police are raising the alarm after an increase in reports of teenagers and young adults being targeted in ‘sextortion’ scams.

• 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.

• 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.

The floodwaters may have subsided in Eastern Australia, but consumers in Western Australia are being warned to brace for the tsunami of flood-damaged cars headed our way.  

With as many as 20,000 vehicles damaged in the Queensland and northern New South Wales’ flood events earlier this year, there are fears many of these compromised vehicles will be transported across to WA and sold to unsuspecting buyers.

Water can affect a vehicle’s electrical systems and later cause corrosion, plus there could be problems getting it registered or even insured in WA.

• Fake websites selling shipping containers ripping off WA consumers
• Almost $55,000 lost by scam victims in the past four months
• Others caught by a bogus container leasing investment scheme

WA consumers in the market for shipping containers are being scammed by fake websites with losses for 2022 already exceeding the total for the entire year of 2021.