The Andrews Labor Government is urging Victorians to be wary of travelling con men with the launch of a new campaign to help people spot the signs of danger.
Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz today unveiled the new campaign, which warns Victorians to watch out for people who knock on their door or approach them unexpectedly, offering to paint the house, fix the roof, resurface the driveway or work in the garden.
Travelling con men often offer cheap deals and pressure people to pay cash upfront before disappearing and leaving behind unfinished or poor quality work.
The new campaign, developed by Consumer Affairs Victoria and Crime Stoppers Victoria, will run for 15 weeks across TV, radio, print, social media and in cinemas. It tells the story of 79 year old Thelma who was taken advantage of by a travelling con man earlier this year.
Thelma, a volunteer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, received a home repairs pamphlet in her Wheelers Hill mailbox. While initially sceptical, she called the number and the con men were on her doorstep within 15 minutes promising to fix her roof.
The con men started work on her roof and then demanded cash – even though the job was not complete. Despite her concerns, Thelma paid them $4,500 after one of the con men told her a sob story about his wife and child.
Sadly, Thelma is one of hundreds of Victorians ripped off by travelling con men each year. Consumer Affairs Victoria received 207 complaints about travelling con men in 2016/17, with more than $477,000 lost.
If you suspect a travelling con man is at your door, ask them to leave. If they refuse, they are breaking the law.
Victorians are being urged to call the national travelling con men hotline, on 1300 133 408, if they hear about or suspect a con man is in their area and to remember if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz
“The best defence against these despicable scams is to know that there are con artists out there.”
“Always be careful about accepting unsolicited offers for maintenance work on your property and don’t be afraid to ask someone to leave if it doesn’t feel right.”
“I applaud Thelma for sharing her story and shining a light on travelling con men and their terrible tactics.”
Quotes attributable to Crime Stoppers Victoria CEO Erika Owens
“Crime Stoppers Victoria is proud to be once again partnering with Consumer Affairs Victoria to urge the Victorian community to say ‘no’ to travelling con men.”
“The financial and emotional effects of falling victim to travelling con men can be devastating. By sharing advice and reporting information to the national travelling con men hotline, we can stop these con men in their tracks.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020