Bargain hunters beware! This trending scam is costing Aussies big
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Rising grocery prices have many Australians looking for ways to stretch their budgets, but not every deal is as good as it seems.
What appears to be an easy way to save on essentials has instead left some locals hundreds of dollars out of pocket.
Authorities are now warning consumers to be cautious as fraudulent schemes continue to target those feeling the financial strain.
Scammers posing as butchers targeted West Australians struggling with the cost of living, luring them with cheap bulk meat deals on social media before vanishing with their money.
Consumer Protection warned locals to stay alert, as fraudsters took advantage of people trying to save on groceries.
Commissioner Trish Blake said these scams preyed on working-class Australians feeling the pinch.
‘Meat is a significant expense for most families, making these scams particularly attractive during times of financial hardship,’ she said.
Victims had already lost more than $500, with some unknowingly handing over personal details to the scammers.
Jay, a father of two from Northam, believed he had secured a great deal after seeing an offer online, but his $360 payment for a mixed family pack never resulted in a delivery.
‘It’s not a small amount of money,’ he shared.
‘It caused a bit of stress. And I think to myself, how I come to this trap.’
He was not alone, as Olivia from Kununurra also fell for a similar scheme, spending $545 on what she thought was an organic meat delivery service.
Living in a remote region, she explained that the promise of a bulk order was appealing due to unpredictable supply issues.
‘Up here with the wet season, you get blocked in from the Northern Territory side, as well as WA, it is quite a distance, so it’s about a 30-hour drive or three-hour flight from Perth to Kununurra, so when the wet season comes sometimes you do have limited stock in the stores, that was the appeal,’ she said.
Her suspicions arose when the meat failed to arrive, and the scammers requested a copy of her ‘authorised government card’ before blocking her.
Consumer Protection’s ScamNet team had managed to shut down two fraudulent profiles, but the issue persisted.
‘Our ScamNet team has had some success in getting pages pulled down, however, it is likely the scammers are creating new profiles just as quickly,’ Ms Blake said.
She advised consumers to be cautious of businesses without fixed addresses, bulk meat offers supposedly coming from farmers, and requests for direct bank transfers.
Legitimate butchers also suffered due to these scams, with Perth Meat Supplies owner Izaak Currie revealing fraudsters had used his business photos to promote fake deals.
‘It has been affecting us when people want to put in a big order, but they’re apprehensive because they’re not too sure if I’m a scammer or not,’ he said.
His business was working on securing verification to help customers distinguish it from fraudulent sellers.
In a previous story, a major bank issued a warning about a widespread phishing scam targeting customers through deceptive messages.
These scams, much like the fake butcher scheme, trick victims into handing over money or personal information.
Read more about how scammers are evolving their tactics to stay one step ahead.
Scammers are constantly finding new ways to take advantage of people looking for a good deal—have you or someone you know ever come across a suspicious offer online?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
What appears to be an easy way to save on essentials has instead left some locals hundreds of dollars out of pocket.
Authorities are now warning consumers to be cautious as fraudulent schemes continue to target those feeling the financial strain.
Scammers posing as butchers targeted West Australians struggling with the cost of living, luring them with cheap bulk meat deals on social media before vanishing with their money.
Consumer Protection warned locals to stay alert, as fraudsters took advantage of people trying to save on groceries.
Commissioner Trish Blake said these scams preyed on working-class Australians feeling the pinch.
‘Meat is a significant expense for most families, making these scams particularly attractive during times of financial hardship,’ she said.
Victims had already lost more than $500, with some unknowingly handing over personal details to the scammers.
Jay, a father of two from Northam, believed he had secured a great deal after seeing an offer online, but his $360 payment for a mixed family pack never resulted in a delivery.
‘It’s not a small amount of money,’ he shared.
‘It caused a bit of stress. And I think to myself, how I come to this trap.’
He was not alone, as Olivia from Kununurra also fell for a similar scheme, spending $545 on what she thought was an organic meat delivery service.
Living in a remote region, she explained that the promise of a bulk order was appealing due to unpredictable supply issues.
‘Up here with the wet season, you get blocked in from the Northern Territory side, as well as WA, it is quite a distance, so it’s about a 30-hour drive or three-hour flight from Perth to Kununurra, so when the wet season comes sometimes you do have limited stock in the stores, that was the appeal,’ she said.
Her suspicions arose when the meat failed to arrive, and the scammers requested a copy of her ‘authorised government card’ before blocking her.
Consumer Protection’s ScamNet team had managed to shut down two fraudulent profiles, but the issue persisted.
‘Our ScamNet team has had some success in getting pages pulled down, however, it is likely the scammers are creating new profiles just as quickly,’ Ms Blake said.
She advised consumers to be cautious of businesses without fixed addresses, bulk meat offers supposedly coming from farmers, and requests for direct bank transfers.
Legitimate butchers also suffered due to these scams, with Perth Meat Supplies owner Izaak Currie revealing fraudsters had used his business photos to promote fake deals.
‘It has been affecting us when people want to put in a big order, but they’re apprehensive because they’re not too sure if I’m a scammer or not,’ he said.
His business was working on securing verification to help customers distinguish it from fraudulent sellers.
In a previous story, a major bank issued a warning about a widespread phishing scam targeting customers through deceptive messages.
These scams, much like the fake butcher scheme, trick victims into handing over money or personal information.
Read more about how scammers are evolving their tactics to stay one step ahead.
Scammers are constantly finding new ways to take advantage of people looking for a good deal—have you or someone you know ever come across a suspicious offer online?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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