Businesses and traders to avoid
Public warnings
Public warnings and namings are serious actions conducted by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). We only issue them in limited situations where it is in the public interest to do so.
Before we take either action, we must have:
- reasonable grounds to think a business is contravening (i.e. going against) the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and that consumers have or will likely suffer disadvantage because of that conduct
- clear evidence that a business is engaging in deliberate and widespread misconduct
- a strong reason to warn the public about the business or their conduct
- a belief that it is in the public interest to warn consumers about the business.
Name(s) of trader or business | Date of issue | Reason for warning/naming |
---|---|---|
Chace Roofing Sheds and Patios Pty Ltd, Chace Portables and Christopher Terrance Edards | 18 January 2024 |
OFT is warning consumers to avoid dealing with Chace Roofing Sheds and Patios Pty Ltd, Chace Portables and Christopher Terrance Edards. Complaints have been lodged by consumers after they 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 Australian Business Numbers used by the trader are ABN 27 548 395 148, ABN 55 126 025 871 and ABN 96 610 910 275. Consumers who have paid Chace Roofing Sheds and Patios Pty Ltd, Chace Portables or Mr Christopher Terrance Edards for goods and services but have not received them can lodge a complaint with the OFT. |
Festival Ignite Pty Ltd, trading as Dinosaur Festival Australia | 16 January 2023 | The Queensland Government is warning consumers against dealing with Dinosaur Festival Australia (DFA) after consumers bought tickets for events that were cancelled or did not meet expectations. Complaints about DFA relate to continued postponing and cancelling of events and refusing to provide ticket refunds. Australian Consumer Law 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. If you've had unsatisfactory dealings with DFA, you can lodge a complaint with us online or by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68). Festival Ignite Pty Ltd also trades as Dinosaur Lantern Festival, Dinosaur Luminance, Monster Creature World and Festival Concepts Logistics Pty Ltd. |
Ryan Hewson, trading as The GrassFather Pty Ltd | 16 June 2022 | OFT is warning consumers against dealing with The GrassFather after the business failed to provide landscaping services. OFT recently prosecuted Mr Hewson and The GrassFather Pty Ltd for failing to provide services. Further complaints have been received by other consumers who have paid The GrassFather for landscaping services. No work has been completed by Mr Hewson and no refunds have been received by the consumers. |
Australia Bond Cleaning Services (Discretionary Trading Trust) and Kuranesh Kathuria, trading as Australia Bond Cleaning | 13 August 2021 | OFT is warning consumers against dealing with Australia Bond Cleaning after the business failed to complete bond cleans, carpet cleaning and pest control on rental properties across South East Queensland. We've received 99 complaints about this business from consumers based across Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Queensland consumers have reported losses of more than $45,000 because of this company. The company has 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. If you have had unsatisfactory dealings with Australia Bond Cleaning Services, you can lodge a complaint with us online or by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68). |
Jason Paul Murray and J.P. & K.M. Murray Pty Ltd, trading as Brisbane Motor Imports | 16 November 2021 | OFT is warning consumers to avoid doing business with Slacks Creek car parts supplier, Jason Paul Murray and his company, J.P. & K.M. Murray Pty Ltd (JPKMM), trading as Brisbane Motor Imports. After receiving a number of complaints that consumers were paying for engines but not receiving them, in 2018 OFT started an investigation against Mr Murray and JPKMM. The investigation resulted in Mr Murray facing the Beenleigh Magistrates Court in April 2019. He plead guilty to 6 charges of wrongly accepting payment under the ACL. Mr Murray was fined $30,000, JPKMM was fined $10,000, and $61,000 in compensation was ordered. No convictions were recorded. In June 2019, OFT launched a new investigation after receiving further consumer complaints of similar conduct. In November 2021, Mr Murray and JPKMM plead guilty in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court to a further 6 charges of wrongly accepting payment under the ACL. Mr Murray was fined $50,000, JPKMM was fined $20,000 and $34,400 in compensation was ordered. Convictions were recorded against both entities. The magistrate also made orders under s216 and s246 of the ACL, requiring both entities to operate under certain strict processes for the following 3 years. In 2022, OFT started another investigation after receiving further consumer complaints about similar conduct. |
Ajanvi Pty Ltd, trading as My Moovers and Saka Qld Pty Ltd trading as My Moovers Qld | 18 December 2020 | The OFT is warning consumers to avoid using My Moovers, also trading as My Moovers Qld. This Melbourne-based furniture removalist business operates nationally. We have received 68 complaints against the trader from consumers in Queensland since September 2019, with 60 of these complaints lodged in 2020. Complaints received against My Moovers and My Moovers Qld, relate 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 | 02 October 2020 | Ticket reseller Viagogo AG has been ordered by the Federal Court to pay a penalty of $7 million for breaching the Australian Consumer Law. Proceedings brought by the ACCC found the company made false or misleading representations when reselling tickets for live music and sports events. The former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Yvette D'Ath, has warned Queensland consumers in the past to be very cautious about buying event or concert tickets from ticket resale website. Consumers have raised concerns that tickets they have purchased are provided with incorrect names, are fake, or are not provided at all. Claims of hidden fees and charges are also common. |
Auto Transporters Pty Ltd (AAA), MV Transporters Pty Ltd, VTrans Pty Ltd, and their directors Snezanna Mladenis and Scott Ingram. | 24 April 2020 | OFT is warning Australian businesses and consumers against dealing with 3 transport companies that operate from the Gold Coast and Broadmeadows, Victoria: Auto Transporters Pty Ltd (AAA), MV Transporters Pty Ltd and VTrans Pty Ltd. The companies and their directors are the subject of a national investigation we are leading. 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. |
Itinerant traders
Itinerant traders travel from door to door seeking work. They have no fixed address and move around so they can target new towns and suburbs.
They try to convince you to hire them or accept their services on the spot and then don't start or complete the work.
Never do business with anyone you suspect may be an itinerant trader.
Common itinerant trading services include:
- laying bitumen
- painting roofs
- general home maintenance
- selling stereos or other electronics from the back of a van.
Genuine door-to-door traders that approach consumers in person or by phone must:
- give you a written agreement clearly setting out terms and how you can cancel the agreement
- give you a cooling-off period of 10 business days to change your mind
- not take any money during the cooling-off period
- not begin any service during that time.
Find out more about rules door-to-door salespeople must follow.
We offer free 'Do not knock' trader stickers, which you can place on your front door or window.