Issue Date:  -  Tuesday, 10 February 2004

World Wide Cheats Targeted

Cyber-Scamsters have a lot to be worried about today as the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection partners with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to sweep the Internet.

Scam busters from the two agencies will be targeting schemes and offers that set out to separate consumers and business people from their hard earned cash. They will be checking:

• - Work at home schemes                         
• - Get rich quick schemes
• - Lottery scams                                     
• - Prizes/Free offers
• - Multilevel/Pyramid scams                          
• - Educational Qualification offers

“Together with 26 other countries and 63 agencies, we will be using sophisticated equipment to sweep the Internet in order to flush out these predators”, Consumer Protection Commissioner Patrick Walker said.

“The ACCC and Consumer Protection work co-operatively on various projects which reduces the supply of victims and starts to make scams less profitable for the perpetrators.

“Our aim is to educate and warn Internet users of online risks whilst identifying offenders for the attention of the relevant agencies”, he said.

Offenders in WA could face fines of up to $100,000 under the Fair Trading Act.

Consumer protection bodies around Australia and the world will be “online” for International Internet Sweep Day, Tuesday 10th February 2004.

Consumer Protection in WA can be contacted by telephoning 1300 30 40 54 or logging on at www.docep.wa.gov.au