Businesses and traders to avoid

We're advising consumers not to deal with Matthew Geoffrey Rixon, who uses the alias Joseph J Sara, or his businesses Fence Sure (Brisbane) and Sunstate Home Improvements using (ABN 84 687 156 693).

Mr Rixon has a long history with Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) marketplace regulators and is the subject of multiple public warnings and legal action in both states.

He has been convicted of several offences, including fraud, and is currently under an injunctive order by the NSW Supreme Court that prohibits him from contracting, or being engaged in or involved with, residential building work in any capacity.

We are aware Mr Rixon is currently operating in South East Queensland (SEQ), offering fencing and renovation services.

We are concerned that he is continuing to use deceptive tactics to rip off consumers, such as using fake ABNs, or the ABNs of other unrelated companies without their approval.

SEQ sub-contractors are also warned Mr Rixon often fails to pay unsuspecting sub-contractors for the work they do.

The Fair Trading Commissioner is warning Queenslanders to avoid dealing with James Bruce Michael Darren Brown and his trading organisations, based on concerns they're continuing to leave consumers out of pocket despite being found guilty of multiple breaches of Australian Consumer Law in May 2022 and March 2024.

The guilty verdicts related to failing to supply goods and services after taking significant deposits from consumers.

Mr Brown has operated under a number of different organisation names, selling and installing stairs and parts for stairs.

SMC Stair Supplies Pty Ltd's organisation numbers were ACN: 636 802 867 and ABN 16 636 802 867. The company was deregistered in June 2024 and its ABN status was cancelled on 11 June 2024.

Trustee for The Adversity Group Trust operates under ABN 54 147 433 599.

Unique Group of Companies (AU) Pty Ltd's organisation numbers are ACN 662 017 209 and ABN 90 662 017 209

Shanshan Han, and T&R International Pty Ltd, trading as both T&R Sports and Sports Leisure

The Fair Trading Commissioner is warning consumers to avoid dealing with Shanshan Han and their company T&R International Pty Ltd after a number of Queenslanders claimed they were ripped off by the online retailer.

OFT is currently investigating over 50 complaints from Queensland consumers who purchased over $52,600 (in total) worth of furniture and household goods from T&R International that weren’t supplied, were supplied late or didn’t meet the advertised quality standards.

A number of consumers reported goods were delivered damaged or couldn’t be assembled because the supplied parts didn’t fit.

When consumers returned damaged items for repair under warranty, they weren’t repaired properly and needed to be returned multiple times.

T&R International provided excuses for late deliveries and promised new delivery dates which didn’t eventuate.

T&R International Pty Ltd, ACN 141 443 898, operates under business number ABN 59 141 443 898. The company was registered in January 2010 and its registration is still current.

Many consumers say they paid Mr Hawxwell for building services in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast—including retaining walls, fencing and decking—which he failed to provide.

They had to pay substantial deposits upfront—some paid up to 45% of the quote—and are now out of pocket.

Watch out for social media accounts or websites created by Mr Hawxwell to attract new business.

Several other businesses in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria have similar names but aren’t linked to this public warning for Cre8tive Construction Group Pty Ltd and Brendan Hawxwell. You should check the ACN or ABN to confirm which company you’re dealing with.

The business numbers Mr Hawxwell uses are ACN 662 155 311 and ABN 94 662 155 311.

We are investigating consumer complaints about this trader, including from consumers in other states. Consumers have said they’ve ordered reconditioned engines and failed to receive them, leaving them out of pocket. They were given excuses for the delays, then promised a refund, but eventually all communication stopped.

Under his previous company JP & KM Murray Pty Ltd (trading as Brisbane Motor Imports), Mr Murray was convicted and penalised for similar conduct in April 2019.

We then received further complaints and took Mr Murray and his company back to court for a further 6 charges of wrongly accepting payment under the ACL in November 2021. Mr Murray pleaded guilty and he and his company were fined and required to operate under certain strict processes for the next 3 years.

In 2022 we started another investigation after receiving further consumer complaints about similar conduct.

Mr Murray has been operating under the ACN 656 929 305, mainly through eBay and Facebook.

Complaints have been lodged after consumers failed to receive portable buildings—including granny flats and sheds—from Mr Edards, who is based in Toowoomba.

Consumers have also been unable to contact the trader regarding their order or getting a refund.

Consumers have reported that communication when dealing with Mr Edards is initially prompt and professional; however, once money has been paid he ceases communication.

A website for Chace Portable Buildings and a Facebook page titled ‘Chace Portable Buildings’ have also been used by the trader. The business numbers used by the trader are ABN 27 548 395 148, ABN 55 126 025 871 and ABN 96 610 910 275.

The Queensland Government is warning consumers against dealing with Dinosaur Festival Australia (DFA) after consumers bought tickets for events that were cancelled or didn't meet expectations.

Complaints about DFA relate to continued postponing and cancelling of events and refusing to provide ticket refunds.

ACL regulators also confirm DFA is based overseas and doesn't have any representatives in Australia to manage consumer complaints.

DFA continues to advertise events in venues they haven't booked. If consumers purchase tickets for these events there is a high risk they won't be able to recover their money.

Consumers who've bought tickets for postponed, cancelled or future events through DFA can try contacting their bank or financial institution to request a charge back, if possible.

Festival Ignite Pty Ltd also trades as Dinosaur Lantern Festival, Dinosaur Luminance, Monster Creature World and Festival Concepts Logistics Pty Ltd.

OFT prosecuted Mr Hewson and The GrassFather Pty Ltd for failing to provide landscaping services.

Further complaints were received by other consumers who paid The GrassFather for landscaping services.

No work was completed by Mr Hewson and no refunds were received by the consumers.

Australia Bond Cleaning Services (Discretionary Trading Trust) and Kuranesh Kathuria, trading as Australia Bond Cleaning

Australia Bond Cleaning failed to complete bond cleans, carpet cleaning and pest control on rental properties across South East Queensland.

We received 99 complaints about this business from consumers across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Queensland consumers reported losses of more than $45,000 because of this company.

The company also repeatedly failed to deliver the carpet or pest services as promised.

Importantly, this trader is not licensed to undertake pest control services, an activity that is regulated because of its use of pesticides that could be harmful to humans and pets.

OFT received 68 complaints against My Moovers—also trading as My Moovers Qld—from Queensland consumers, from September 2019, with 60 of these complaints lodged in 2020. The Melbourne-based furniture removalist business operates nationally.

Complaints received related to removalists arriving late, damage to goods, untrained or inept contractors, the use of inadequately sized vehicles, demand for additional payment before the completion of the job, failing to complete the job, and overcharging.

Viagogo

Ticket reseller Viagogo AG was ordered by the Federal Court to pay a penalty of $7 million for breaching the ACL. Proceedings brought by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) found the company made false or misleading representations when reselling tickets for live music and sports events.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Yvette D'Ath, warned Queensland consumers to be very cautious about buying event or concert tickets from ticket resale website.

Consumers raised concerns that tickets they purchased had incorrect names, were fake, or weren't provided at all. Claims of hidden fees and charges were also common.

Auto Transporters Pty Ltd (AAA), MV Transporters Pty Ltd, VTrans Pty Ltd, and their directors Snezanna Mladenis and Scott Ingram.

These 3 transport companies—that operate from the Gold Coast and Broadmeadows, Victoria—and their directors were the subject of a national investigation led by OFT.

The 3 traders are vehicle shipping and transport companies that operate Australia-wide. They have a history of taking consumers' money and not supplying the service they guaranteed when the booking was made.