Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) is warning people to be vigilant when planning a caravan holiday, following a surge in scams over the past five months.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Melissa Horne said CAV had received 17 reports of caravan scams since October last year, compared with two reports in 2019.
“Scammers are advertising caravans online, then making excuses – or taking advantage of lockdown limitations – to convince buyers not to view the vehicle in person, encouraging them to make their purchase ‘sight unseen’,” Ms Horne said.
“Buyers are then being persuaded to deposit money into a bank account, with promises that they’ll be able to come and collect the caravan, or that the vehicle will be delivered to them,” she said.
“After the buyer makes the deposit, the scammer stops communicating, and the product is never received.”
Ms Horne said Victorians had lost a combined total of more than $1.5 million to online shopping scams in the past year.
“When buying online, be wary of anyone who stops you from seeking further information about a product as this can often be a sign of a scammer,” the Minister said.
“If you’re making a major purchase, such as a caravan, make sure to see it in person before you pay any money,” she said.
Mr Horne said being vigilant would save people a lot of time, money and disappointment in the long run.
