Consumer Protection

 

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe  

• Late or no deliveries of flowers and gifts may be a major issue for consumers
• Keep photos and receipts of online purchases as proof
• Check online reviews before making your purchase.

Flowers and gifts that don’t arrive in time or arrive but are not what was ordered, are the main consumer issues that can dampen the love this Valentine’s Day (14 February).

Shoppers are being advised to seek delivery guarantees so that the flowers or gifts will arrive in time for the special day, especially if ordering online.

As a result of the Premier’s announcement placing WA into a hard lockdown until 6pm on Friday, 5 February, our counter and phone services are currently unavailable.

You are encouraged to email any enquiries to consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au. If your matter is urgent, please include a contact telephone number in your email and Consumer Protection will call you back within 24 hours.

• Prepaid funeral funds to be placed in secure investments
• Code provides greater transparency and disclosures in contracts
• A 30 day cooling off period will now apply

A new mandatory code of practice is now in force for WA’s prepaid funeral industry which aims to safeguard the estimated $170 million being held to pay for future funerals.

The new code which began on 1 March 2021 will ensure that the funds will be managed within secure investments under the name of the client until they are required.

• Landlords and tenants encouraged to act and negotiate in good faith
• Tenancies must be terminated lawfully
• Tenants urged to report unlawful evictions

Tenants and landlords are encouraged to contact Consumer Protection for advice about rental rights and responsibilities, particularly in relation to termination notices and evictions.

Australia’s vaccine roll-out will hopefully spell the beginning of the end of the coronavirus crisis, but we can’t afford to become complacent when it comes to avoiding COVID-19 related scams.

Scams where COVID-19 was mentioned have so far stolen $8.4 million from Australians since the start of the pandemic, while 20 victims in Western Australia have reported losing almost $144,000 to WA ScamNet.

If you have a bad experience with a business, sharing your story on social media and elsewhere online might seem like a good way to warn others to steer clear, but it may not be the most effective way to have your voice heard.

Consumer laws in WA give us the authority to receive and investigate complaints against traders, before taking the appropriate action – such as an attempt at conciliation, a public naming or even potentially a prosecution in court.   

• Consumer Protection intelligence prompts warnings about rogue tree-loppers
• Home owners are urged to be cautious and know their rights
• Recent prosecutions and warnings are helping to protect consumers

Consumer Protection is urging home owners to carefully choose their tree-loppers following reports of unscrupulous operators offering their services in Perth.

• Scammers intercept email communications between family and aged care home
• Grand-daughter organising the transfer gets fake email with different bank details
• Consumer advice: be suspicious of emails notifying bank account change

Scammers have stolen about $375,000 intended to fund the aged care costs of a 102 year old woman, the money being the proceeds from the sale of her Ferndale home.

Labels such as ‘eco-friendly’ and ‘sustainable’ can be attractive for shoppers wanting to do their bit for the environment, but it’s not always easy to sort what’s fact from fiction. 

That’s why a recent internet sweep by consumer agencies throughout the world, including Consumer Protection in WA, focused on identifying misleading environmental claims for the first time.