Northern Territory Consumer Affairs in Darwin, Northern Territory | Community organisation

Northern Territory Consumer Affairs

Locality: Darwin, Northern Territory

Phone: +61 1800 019 319

Address: Level 1, The Met Building, 13 Scaturchio Street 0810 Darwin, NT, Australia

Website: http://www.consumeraffairs.nt.gov.au

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25.01.2022 Keep informed, keep safe. Product Safety Australia is an important part of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) responsibilities. They have a great website, with important information for all Australians. It details general safety information and lists current product recalls. The website also allows you to report products you think may be unsafe. Head over to their website to learn more: https://www.productsafety.gov.au/

23.01.2022 Are your kids spending time near a portable pool this summer? Take the time to review our #DontDuckOut #MakeItSafe tips, it only takes a few minutes and it could save a child’s life. www.productsafety.gov.au/makeitsafe

23.01.2022 Getting frustrated about a consumer issue? Why not just give us a call? We may well be able to help you get a resolution. Our fair trading staff are available from 8:30am 4:00pm every business day. Call us on (08) 8999 1999 or 1800 019 319.

23.01.2022 Get to know your Consumer Rights! If you purchase a product and it turns out to be faulty or doesn’t perform as it should, stop using it. Contact the business or trader immediately. It is often best to email your complaint to the manager. Describe the problem and how you would like them to fix it. Don’t get hot under the collar, it will not help you get your preferred outcome. If you don’t get a satisfactory response please call our Fair Trading officers on (08) 8999 1999 or 1800 019 319. They will be able to advise you of your next steps.

22.01.2022 In recent years you may have noticed retailers offering you interest free deals to buy now and pay later. This is especially common in white goods or furniture stores. Before signing up for these deals, it’s important to understand the amount and frequency of payments you’ll need to make to pay the product off. It is common for very large interest rates to apply if you default in payments. Terms and conditions for buy now pay later offers can be complex and may include high i...nterest rates that start from a certain date if you haven’t fully paid for the product. Carefully consider the contract before you sign. If you don’t understand the contract, get someone to help you. Remember that although these payment methods may seem ideal for your circumstances, if you fall into financial difficulties during the period of the contract, these contracts have the potential to drive you into considerable debt in a very short period of time. See more

22.01.2022 WARNING!! FAKE WEBSITE: GREEN-TRACTORS.COM Another fake website has been discovered! This time they are fraudulently using the company name of Green Tractors, which is a legitimate ABN and business name in Australia that is currently inactive. Fake websites will often use ABNs and company names of legitimate businesses so that their potential customers are deceived into thinking they are genuine. Be very cautious if you’re in the market to buy farm & construction machine...ry, campers, motorhomes, caravans, boats or motorbikes. NT Consumer Affairs has uncovered a string of fake websites in the past year that are offering incredible prices, in the hope to ensnare potential customers. Always trade with reputable businesses that have a solid online presence on the internet, beyond their own website. This particular fake website has gone to the added effort of listing an address that shows an address with a shed and tractors in Google Street View. One of the ways we were able to verify that this website was fake was to reverse google search some of the tractor images on the site. The tractor images were the same as those used on websites overseas, a clear indication that things were not right. Normally a website will list images with a similar background, usually of their sales yard. This website has tractors with a wide range of backgrounds, many obviously not in Australia. Remember: if prices seem too good to be true, it’s because they are.

22.01.2022 Tune in to 105.7 ABC Darwin this morning, Tuesday 10 November, at around 9.30am to listen to Northern Territory Consumer Affairs Commissioner Sandy Otto discuss recent consumer affairs issues. Ms Otto will be taking questions whilst on air, send a sms to 0487 991 057 (rates apply) or give her a call on 1300 057 222.

20.01.2022 Northern Territory Consumer Affairs is warning consumers about the dangers of online shopping scams. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website has received over 12,000 online shopping scam reports this year, with losses of around $7 million. Remember that many scams go unreported so the real losses would be significantly higher than $7 million. Reports of scams on classified websites, such as Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace, have also increased ...by 60% this year. Always be cautious when purchasing online. Check you are heading to an official organisation’s website instead of clicking links attached to text messages, emails or Facebook posts. Where possible, pay by credit card or PayPal so you have some level of protection. Also remember that if the price sounds too good to be true, it usually means it’s a scam.

20.01.2022 The Scammers will never stop Please be vigilant A staff member received this text message today ...... and I am sure many others have too. The person who received this was actually expecting a parcel, but realised there wasn’t that much information in the text to identify the sender and didn’t click the link. This text scam is well known and prevalent at the moment. There is great information on the ScamNet web site here:... https://www.scamnet.wa.gov.au//Scam_types-Buying_or_sellin With any text or email that has a link that the sender wants you to click, always take a moment to consider if its real or not. Do your checks. It’s not just your hard earned money that’s lost this way, many people have had their identification stolen and used for illegal purposes.

19.01.2022 Fences save lives In most parts of Australia, if a pool, portable pool or spa has more than 30cm of water in it there’s a legal requirement for it to be fenced. You need to check with your local council or government agency for safety barrier rules. For more helpful information on how to keep your kids safe around the water, visit www.productsafety.gov.au/makeitsafe #DontDuckOut #MakeItSafe

19.01.2022 Online reviews are a handy way for consumers to determine what is the best product or service to purchase. These reviews are very important to help support Territorians to be informed consumers, therefore, they have a right to expect the reviews to be honest, independent and genuine. A business should NOT encourage friends and family to write reviews without the reviews detailing the connection they have with the business. They also should NOT ask others to write reviews abou...t their business or a competitors business if they have not used or experienced the goods or service. You may also ask friends and family for any positive experience they have had or ask a community Facebook page for a recommendation, but remember that those that answer may not be truly independent. Reviews are a useful tool but they should never be the only tool you use when making a consumer decision. Always remember to research the product or service thoroughly, especially if you are spending a lot of money.

16.01.2022 The ABC has just reported the heart breaking news that a 4 year old child has drowned in a backyard pool in Tasmania on the weekend. These tragic events remind us that there are risks associated with water and young children. As the warmer months continue, we would like to remind people to take note of pool safety advice and ensure your loved ones are safe. Supervise. Actively watch children within arm’s reach. Don’t leave children in charge. ... Act. Learn CPR know to start compressions and breaths as soon as possible when a child is pulled from the water and to call triple zero (000) for help. Fence. In most of Australia, pools filled with more than 30cm of water, are legally required to have a compliant safety barrier. Check with your local council or government agency. Empty. For pools that don’t need to fenced, keep watch all day, then pour out water and store away from children, in a place where it can’t refill with rain or sprinkler water. See more

15.01.2022 SCAM WEBSITE WARNING! The previously reported scam website Green-tractors.com has been shut down. However this hasn’t slowed down the scammers who have now created ‘green-tractor.com’ and once again, are ‘selling’ farm machinery at incredibly low prices. These websites are entirely fake and designed to trap people into directly depositing payment into bank accounts created through identity fraud. They then transfer the money offshore and often repeat this criminal activity wh...en a website is reported and taken down from the internet. We have discussed the many different ways that you can investigate scam websites in previous posts but there is one very important tool you can use to protect yourself. Purchase internet security software and set it for automatic updates. This software looks at websites and warns you if they have been recently created or if there is some other security issue with a website’s credentials. This will help to protect you and your device. Remember that security software is not just for your desktop computer. You can purchase software that will cover all your devices including desktops, phones and tablets. Purchase and download security software today to keep yourself safe online.

14.01.2022 What’s wrong with this picture? Parents and carers MUST keep watch at all times when children are near water. Always ensure you are at arm’s length and 100% of your attention is on the child. It only takes 20 seconds and 3cm of water for a youngster to drown, so remember, #DontDuckOut #MakeItSafe this summer. See: www.productsafety.gov.au/makeitsafe

12.01.2022 What can you do if you receive a gift but it is faulty? If you receive a gift from a family member or a friend and then discover a fault, remember that you have the same consumer rights as the person that purchased it originally. However, you will obviously need to have some proof of purchase to receive a refund. Don’t just simply accept the faulty product. It can get a bit tricky to get a copy of the original receipt but remember that bank statements can be proof of purchase as well. Stand up for your consumer rights, that’s why all Australians have them.

11.01.2022 Leading up to the Christmas period, scammers love to play on consumers desire for a great deal. Everyone needs to be especially careful during this period, especially as you can be distracted and accidently click on a link like the one displayed. Scammers will often steal high quality logos of well-known and respected brands, hoping to look as authentic as possible. Although there are some dodgy looking scams out there, most scams nowadays appear fairly authentic. This scam e...mail was identified because it was sent from an obviously non JB HI-FI email address and the address at the bottom is for a USA mail facility in New York. An online search for the address lists it as an address often used by scammers. Taking some details from a suspected scam email and searching online can often yield information about whether it is a scam or not. Scammers are lazy and will usually use the same details again and again, from country to country. Finally, if scammers are keen to entrap someone, best not to send your attempts to the Commissioner of the Northern Territory Consumer Affairs. :)

11.01.2022 One of the best ways to save money is to avoid impulsive purchases. A key to doing this is to create a household budget for yourself. You can find plenty of budget templates online for free. Working to a budget allows you to properly consider a purchase before proceeding. If you’re not that good with money, head over to the Moneysmart website. They have some great information that will help you manage your money into the future: https://moneysmart.gov.au/

10.01.2022 Tune in to 105.7 ABC Darwin this morning, Tuesday 18 May, at around 9.45am to listen to Northern Territory Consumer Affairs Acting Commissioner Sandy Otto discuss recent consumer affairs issues. Ms Otto will be taking questions whilst on air, send a sms to 0487 991 057 (rates apply) or give her a call on 1300 057 222.

08.01.2022 Tune in to 105.7 ABC Darwin tomorrow morning, Tuesday 10 November, at around 9.30am to listen to Northern Territory Consumer Affairs Commissioner Sandy Otto discuss recent consumer affairs issues. Ms Otto will be taking questions whilst on air, send a sms to 0487 991 057 (rates apply) or give her a call on 1300 057 222.

07.01.2022 Another day for website scammers.another fake website created! In recent months, Australian farmers and retirees have been targeted with a series of fake websites. They have offered a series of big ticket items such as farm & construction machinery, campers, motorhomes, caravans, boats or motorbikes. This time they have created a website for AU Motor Homes aumotorhomes.com. This is not to be confused with Motorhomes Pty Ltd, which is a legitimate business. Before you m...ake a large purchase online, check out the credibility of the business. If the pricing seems extremely low, compared to their competitors, its usually a good indication they are scammers. If you suspect a website of not being legit and need further advice, contact NT Consumer Affairs on 1800 019 319. Don’t forget to report it to the Australian Cyber Security Centre as well: https://www.cyber.gov.au/report

07.01.2022 An important guide to those selling toys online. Learn more here: https://www.productsafety.gov.au//buying-toys-online-keep-

07.01.2022 When you purchase online you need to be careful. Not paranoid, just careful. Do not immediately jump at the lowest priced item. The more research you conduct, the safer your purchase will be. If you find a totally amazing deal, be particularly wary. How can a business offer a product at half price or even lower when their competitors cannot match it? If you are purchasing from a business for the first time, it’s always wise to do a little research first. Do they have good online reviews? How long has the business existed? Where are they physically based? If you find something that doesn’t seem right, do not proceed, irrespective of the deal.

06.01.2022 Is that text message legit? Online shopping is becoming more popular and so is using your phone for nearly everything you usually do on a computer. Scammers are taking advantage of this by sending random text messages with links that make it look like you have ordered something; like the one in this image or they make it look like you have a parcel waiting. Your first reaction might be ... did I accidentally order something, I better check so I can cancel it, or this must... be my tracking info ... so then you click on the link. Big mistake! The scammers are counting on this so they can get your personal details. Never click on any links in any texts that you are not sure of. Keep track of your purchases and only click on links that you are absolutely sure are genuine or go directly to your account on the website you ordered the goods from. See more

05.01.2022 Having engine problems? Before you get your car repaired there’s plenty to consider. Repairs can be substantially expensive and we’ve got plenty of tips about how to protect yourself: https://consumeraffairs.nt.gov.au/for-consum/motor-vehicles

05.01.2022 Do you own a Kia QL Sportage, model years 2016-2021 or a Kia CK Stinger model years 2017-2019 ? The ACCC has issued a recall alert for almost 58,000 Kia vehicles after a defect was discovered that may lead to an engine compartment fire when the ignition key is switched off and the vehicle is parked. https://www.productsafety.gov.au//kia-motors-australia-kia

04.01.2022 Buying a new car? As you may have noticed, Australia has many imported vehicle types, from many different manufacturers. Therefore, purchasing the best new vehicle can be quite the challenge. Here are a few things to consider:... How much can you get for a trade-in? How much can you afford to spend? Is a new car even necessary and can a low mileage second hand car be a better option? Will you need financing and who offers the cheapest financial rate? Who offers the best and cheapest insurance coverage? How good is the warranty deal and what are the warranty terms and conditions? Always be sure to spend the time and fully read and understand any contract you sign to ensure that you don’t get a nasty surprise later on. If you are purchasing a new or second hand car, or just getting your vehicle serviced, head over to our website for some handy advice: https://consumeraffairs.nt.gov.au/for-consum/motor-vehicles