An urgent warning about a cruel ‘butcher scam’ that is targeting Aussies trying to ease cost of living struggles has been issued.
The scam involves a fraudster pretending to be a butcher on local community Facebook pages, falsely offering bulk farm-to-table meat at wholesale prices with home delivery.
The supposed offers range from $250 for a mixed selection of meats, up to $545 for half a butchered cow or pig.
Buyers are urged to pay via bank transfer, but are then blocked by the scammer once payment occurs and the meat never arrives.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection in Western Australia Trish Blake said she was concerned the scammers were capitalising on cost-of-living pressures.
‘Meat is a significant expense for most families, making these scams particularly attractive during times of financial hardship,’ Ms Blake said.
‘We suspect more people are being ripped off by these meat scams than is being reported due to the relatively small individual losses in the hundreds of dollars.
‘But because meat is a staple, this scam could generate substantial profits for those behind it.’
Consumer protection WA has issued a warning over meat scams on local Facebook groups
The scams sometimes pinch photographs from legitimate businesses to rip off customers
Ms Blake said there were a number of ways consumers could tell if they were viewing a scam listing.
‘Red flags include bulk meat being offered directly from farmers to consumers without the use of an abattoir, and at prices that seem too good to be true,’ she said.
‘A lack of reviews, likes and comments are another indication, as well as the business not listing a fixed location.
‘If the page is new or has a history of changing its name, that’s another red-flag.
‘Be wary of any business on social media demanding payment via bank transfer given the difficulty in retrieving money sent this way, and particularly suspicious if multiple bank accounts are given for the transaction, or if the bank account name is personal, not a business name, or doesn’t match the name of the contact person.’
