The joint Consumer Affairs Victoria and Crime Stoppers Victoria campaign will run until March 2016, and aims to empower residents to say no to shonky door-to-door tradespeople.
Travelling con men move across the state, especially during the warmer months, offering cheap “today only” deals on jobs such as painting, roof repairs and bitumen laying.
They ask for cash payments up front and often take the money and run, leaving behind work that is unfinished or of poor quality.
Almost 200 people contacted the national travelling con men hot line during a Victorian awareness campaign in 2014-15, reporting financial losses of more than $570,000.
More than 150 reports of con men operating in Victoria have been received since July this year.
Consumer Affairs Victoria has been partnering with Crime Stoppers Victoria to coordinate statewide campaigns since 2009.
This summer’s campaign educates people on how to identify and protect themselves against con men, and features information from Victoria Police and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
To support Victorians from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, important details are being translated into 10 other languages, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Farsi and Somali.
Philippa Maloney-Walsh, a Victorian conned out of thousands of dollars by a band of dodgy tradespeople who offered to carry out roof repairs on her home, spoke at today’s launch event.
The campaign also includes television, radio and print advertisements and social media.
Victorians are encouraged to report travelling con men activities to the national hot line – 1300 133 408 – or to their local police.
