Sound warning on rogue stereo sellers

Issue Date: - Friday, 2 November 2007

Dodgy itinerant salesmen are on the prowl again trying to flog stereo equipment from the back of a van to Western Australian consumers for big money.

Consumer Protection has received reports of consumers being approached on the street by two men in a hired white van claiming to have high quality stereo equipment for sale.

Consumer Protection’s Acting Executive Director Anne Driscoll said one consumer paid $2,500 for speakers, a DVD player and receiver after being told the package was worth $7,500.

“People have been approached by these rogue salesmen on building sites, while gardening at home, and even sitting in their car at traffic lights,” Ms Driscoll said. “If this is the way they are approaching consumers, it doesn’t bode well for the source or the quality of the stereo equipment.

“We have reports that these dodgy salesmen have been operating in the northern suburbs, Port Kennedy, Dunsborough and even Kalgoorlie.

“A similar scam was perpetrated on Western Australian consumers in 2003 with people paying $700 for stereo speakers worth as little as $35. We have also had the fake leather jacket scam where consumers were duped into paying up to $1000 for so-called leather designer jackets which were actually made of PVC, sheep or goat hide.”

Consumer Protection is investigating this latest incident for breaches of the Fair Trading Act and Door to Door Trading Act.

Ms Driscoll urged consumers who have been approached or purchased stereo equipment from these men to call Consumer Protection immediately on 1300 30 40 54 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

“Consumers who are approached in the street are entitled to the protection of the Door to Door Trading Act which provides, among other protections, that any sale above $50 is subject to a 10-day cooling-off period,” she said. “Money cannot be taken during that time and consumers must be provided with documentation about their rights.”