Consumer Protection

Christmas may be a time for giving, but there’s one type of person you wouldn’t want to reward with a free gift this festive season – a scammer.  

Unfortunately that has been the outcome for about 200 Western Australians so far in 2021, who reported to WA ScamNet that they had been tricked out of almost $700,000 while shopping online.

The fake websites and social media pages have pretended to sell everything from barbecues to motorhomes, but consumers never received the items, nor saw their money again.

With fuel prices recently hitting record-highs and Perth’s petrol price cycle changing from weekly to fortnightly, it’s a particularly important time for consumers to have the information they need to save money at the bowser.

That’s where our free FuelWatch service can help, with a revamped website containing interactive mapping features that makes it quick and easy for WA motorists to find the best deal.

If you’re gearing up to buy a used car, you might be thinking about whether to go through a private seller rather than a licensed dealership.

While buying a vehicle privately can be cheaper, it also offers less security, so it’s important to know what steps to take to avoid ending up with a lemon or being scammed out of your money altogether.

If you’ve been looking to buy a shipping container for storage, transport or even to live in, it’s important to watch-out for scammers making leaky promises.

WA ScamNet at Consumer Protection is aware of ten victims who have lost $35,500 after they responded to online adverts for discounted shipping containers and transferred money to several websites that turned out to be fake.

The victims were even provided with ABN information of legitimate businesses, before being asked to pay for the container via bank transfer.

With ghoulish costumes, sweet treats galore and frightfully fun decorations, Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last decade.

So if you’re planning some Halloween fun with your family on 31 October, there are some things you can do to prevent it turning into Halloween hell.

There’s a vast army of people in the Western Australian community dedicating their lives to helping consumers and tenants, and now is a golden opportunity for them to shine.

With nominations currently open for the Consumer Protection Awards 2022, I would urge advocates and promoters of consumer rights to step forward and lodge an online application before the closing date.

As the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to cast a shadow over our lives, there may be some Western Australians who are still struggling to stay afloat financially due to job losses or having their work hours reduced.

Renters who are unemployed, or who have lost more than half their income, should know that the State Government’s Residential Rent Relief Grant scheme will now remain open until the end of the year.

• Gary Newcombe returns to Commissioner's role
• Brings 40 years' experience working in the Commonwealth and State public sectors, and for the Western Australian Parliament

Gary Newcombe has taken the baton to become Western Australia's new Commissioner for Consumer Protection.

He replaces Lanie Chopping, who has been appointed as interim Director General for the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Your wedding can be one of the happiest days of your life, but it may also end up being one of the most expensive.

Covering the costs of all the things you need, such as a venue, catering, outfits and equipment hire, can soon add up – so it’s important to be across your consumer rights before you start shopping around.

With more than 9,500 weddings taking place in Western Australia last year, there are times when things don’t go exactly to plan.

• Rent support or rent arrears grants on offer
• Scheme which has already supported thousands of tenants extended until December 31, 2021
• Previous applicants can apply again 

The McGowan Government has extended the Residential Rent Relief Grant Scheme (RRRGS) to continue to assist tenants facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 to pay their rent.