Scams and cons

Scams will try to trick you into handing over money. Be smart about anything that seems too good to be true.

An offer is probably a scam if it:

• makes huge promises of money, health or beauty
• asks for your personal details
• wants you to send them cash, even a small amount
• asks you to give them your bank account details.

Say no to any offer you think might be a scam. Don’t forget to warn all your friends and neighbours so they don’t get stung.

Some common scams

There are many more types of scams out there. Some examples include:

• traders who come to your door to sell overpriced products
• home repairers who make you pay them in cash before they start
• competitions or lotteries that want you to send money and get a prize
• mail-order forms that ask you to give your bank details to help a fake charity
• chain letters or emails that ask you to send small sums of money to several people.

Learn about other common scams

Protect yourself

You can reduce your chances of becoming a victim by following some simple tips. These are:

• Question the offer.
• Check the person’s ID (if they come to your door).
• Don’t give out your name, phone number or bank account details.
• Say ‘no’ to anyone who insists that you give them an answer right away.
• Take time to get more information and advice.
• Ask for a written contract for anything that costs more than $100.

Builders and tradespeople

Only hire a tradesperson if they have a licence. You can always check up if they do. Ask to see it before you sign anything.

To check their licence, you can:

• take a note of their licence number
• search this online database.

Don’t take the risk!

Be careful of door-to-door scammers.

A roof painter offered to paint Harold’s roof for a cheap price. The painter said he had some leftover paint from a previous job. Harold agreed and paid him the full amount in cash. The painter finished the job and left in no time.

The paint job was not up to scratch, and very soon it started to peel. By the time Harold realised, the painter was long gone. Harold made a complaint about the painter, but investigators and police couldn’t find the man.