With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping
Are you looking to buy white goods, electrical items or a new car in the near future? Chances are you’ll be offered an extended warranty by the salesperson but you need to think twice before saying “yes” because you could be wasting your money.
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping
The number of cars recalled in Australia, due to problems with faulty Takata airbags, keeps inflating. As more and more major manufacturers add models to the growing list, it’s important for car-owners to check their vehicle against the database, even if they’ve checked previously.
Defective Takata airbags can deploy with too much force and shoot out metal fragments, or under-inflate, and they have caused more than 230 injuries and at least 23 deaths globally.
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe
A tree lopper who accepted payment to cut down six trees but only chopped off branches on one has been fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Australian Consumer Law.
Siuosavaii Maiava trading as Fairdinkum Tree Services was also ordered to pay court costs of $2,307.50 when the Consumer Protection prosecution was heard at the Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday 11 October 2019.
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe
We have received complaints from tenants recently about electrical hazards and gas leaks in rental properties. Issues include faulty electrical wiring, power sockets and appliances blowing, power shortages when raining, and water leaking onto electrical points.
What to do if you suspect an electrical fault?
These days, it pays to be extra vigilant on social media. Like-harvesting, or like-farming as it is also called, is a scam perpetuated throughout Facebook and features bogus pages designed to do nothing more than “harvest” your likes.
The content pulls at your heartstrings or offers big prizes leading you to like, share and comment. Recently, a fake Virgin Australia page offering a trip to Hawaii collected several hundred thousand likes this way before being shut down.
Baby bath aids such as plastic recliners, cradles or seats, have become increasingly popular with parents as they provide support for babies and young children in the bath.
But it is important to remember that they are not safety devices or a substitute for adult supervision and support. Children have drowned while using a bath aid as they can easily slip off and become submerged under water, tip over when the suction cups come loose or climb out.
Consumer Protection regularly reminds consumers in Western Australia about their rights and the regulations in place to protect them, but what happens when you actually need to make a formal complaint about a retailer or business?
The first step in the process is always to approach the trader and attempt to get a remedy for the issue. We have a handy checklist on our website to guide you through the process, or you can call us for advice on 1300 30 40 54.
It’s only early November but many consumers are already searching for great deals as they plan for their Christmas and New Year celebrations yet, as always, it is a case of buyer beware especially when it comes to shopping online.
This year our WA ScamNet team has received reports about fake websites selling everything from toys to barbecues and outboard motors. Buyers pay for the items which are then never delivered.
Another scam to watch out for during this busy shopping period involves messages claiming that you have a package waiting to be delivered.
