Watch out for dishonest door-to-door dealers

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Kerry Shine today warned Queensland residents to keep an eye out for door-to-door traders attempting to sell overpriced, poor quality machinery and other equipment.

The warning comes after the Office of Fair Trading received an alert from Western Australia about a number of traders recently attempting to sell equipment to consumers and complaints from Queensland residents.

“It is believed these dishonest traders target people in towns and on properties offering to sell equipment including petrol driven generator sets, fire pumps and high pressure washers,” Mr Shine said.

“Some consumers reported the quality of the goods has been shoddy.

“They also discovered that serial numbers had been filed off and pages removed from the operating manuals in a blatant attempt to prevent consumers from establishing the source of the products.”

Mr Shine said a report was also received from a Maryborough woman who was approached by two traders in their 20s or 30s at her home offering to sell her a generator.

“The two men identified themselves as Michael and John and said their business was established in Sydney and they were setting up a warehouse in Brisbane,” he said.

“They were driving a new white Mercedes van and told the woman they had no credit card facilities and would only accept cash.

“The woman paid $2600 in cash for a generator and when she asked for a receipt for proof of purchase, the men lied and informed her that the receipt and paperwork was inside the generator box, which wasn’t the case.”

Mr Shine said such traders usually used high-pressure tactics, rushing consumers into making on-the-spot decisions and demanding cash upfront.

“These deceitful traders tend to travel from state to state to prey on consumers to make a quick dollar.

“It is therefore important that Queenslanders know their rights when someone knocks on their door.”

Under the Fair Trading Act 1989 traders must:

• Provide a written contract clearly stating the breakdown of costs, including GST and the total price, for the sale of goods or services valued at more than $75
• Allow a 10-day cooling-off period for consumers to cancel a contract, with no payments to be taken or work commenced during this time
• Provide consumers with information about how to cancel agreements and
• Carry and present identification

“If you are approached by a trader offering to sell you a product or do work around the home, don’t rush into a decision.

“If something seems too good to be true, be wary because it probably is.

“Do some research and think about your decision and remember if you don't want to purchase from a door-to-door seller, just say a firm 'no'.

“Traders caught breaching the Act face fines of up to $40,500 for individuals and $202,500 for companies.

“If you are suspicious of a door-to-door trader, if you don’t get what you paid for or if a trader won’t take no for an answer, take down as many details as you can and report them to the Office of Fair Trading as soon as possible.”

For further information on the responsibilities of door-to-door trading in Queensland, visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or phone 13 13 04.

Media contact       Chris Taylor      0419 710 874