Central Coast residents have been warned to be on the lookout for scams in the aftermath of the April storms.
“Fair Trading has had reports of a number of different scams going on after the storms, including people calling purporting to be raising money for affected families or requesting personal details to enable access to emergency payments,” said NSW Fair Trading’s regional manager for Northern NSW, Mr Paul Coles.
“As the cleanup continues in the months ahead, I am urging consumers to be on the lookout for unscrupulous traders who will try and take advantage of people affected by the weather,” Mr Coles said.
“Consumers should be wary of traders who approach them directly offering cheap repair services, if something seems too good to be true, chances are it is.”
Mr Coles said itinerant traders have been known to travel door-to-door targeting consumers by peddling stories that their vehicle has broken down and they need to get rid of stock or they have completed a job and are selling leftover product.
Mr Coles said that if building work requires a license, consumers should check with Fair Trading to confirm that the person is licensed and what building work they are qualified to undertake.
“A simple online search can help to identify potentially dodgy tradespeople, five minutes of research could save you thousands.
“There is also a 10- day cooling off period for unsolicited offers, during which you are not required to pay any money.
“Travelling con men are known to get aggressive in demanding payment.
“Consumers should call the police if they feel threatened at any time.”
Mr Coles also warned consumers to carefully read contracts before signing them and understand any terms and conditions.
Media release,
14 May 2015
Jane Upton, media officer,
NSW Fair Trading