'Cruelly ripped off': heartless scam tradies target bushfire victims

Residents struggling with the aftermath of January's major grassfire south of Ballarat have been hit with a new blow.

Subscribe now for unlimited access .

or signup to continue reading

All articles from our website

The digital version of Today's Paper

All other in your area

Authorities have received reports about fake tradies who are scamming vulnerable people around Streatham, Skipton and Carranballac, as well as other fire-affected parts of Victoria.

Sixteen homes, including one belonging to a family of four, and countless sheds and outbuildings were destroyed on January 9 when a fast-moving grassfire tore through 20,000 hectares between Carranballac and Skipton.

Emergency services around Skipton and Streatham on January 9 when a fast-moving grassfire destroyed 16 homes and other sheds and outbuildings. Picture by Kate Healy

Consumer Affairs Victoria has since received numerous reports of bushfire victims paying for shoddy work, or work that is not delivered, as dodgy operators take advantage of vulnerable people.

"Homeowners should be aware of these dodgy tradies - if an interaction with a tradie doesn't feel right, it's probably not," said Consumer Affairs Victoria director Nicole Rich.

"Be wary of tradies who approach you at home or online, and pressure you to accept their offer or pay cash upfront - they will end up costing you financially and emotionally."

In one case, a homeowner whose house was damaged in the fires paid a fake tradie $6000 in advance, for work that was never completed. The tradie provided an ABN but the homeowner did not check if it was legitimate.

Not only do bushfire victims have to watch out for dodgy tradies, but they have also been warned to be on the lookout for "professionals" claiming they can get an increased insurance payout in return for a large commission.

Ms Rich said homeowners should ask for and double-check full names, registration or licence details of tradespeople, seek more than one written quote for works, ask for contact details of previous clients to check references, and watch out for 'red flags' like today-only deals, refusal to provide a written quote or payment demanded in advance of work.

Sixteen homes were destroyed in the fire that ravaged Streatham, Skipton, Carranballac and surrounding areas on January 9. Picture supplied

She urged anyone who encountered a suspected fake tradie to report them to "help more people avoid being cruelly ripped off".

Fake tradies and scams can be reported to Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or www.consumer.vic.gov.au.

Advertisement

Ad

Get the latest Hepburn news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

Email address

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Ad