This in from Justice and Community Safety:
ACT Commissioner for Fair Trading, Brett Phillips is warning the Canberra community to be wary of unsolicited telephone calls, emails or door-to-door traders who offer deals which involve handing over money on the spot or obtaining personal details.
The warning follows a number of reports from consumers who received telephone calls from people claiming to be from Fair Trading Canberra or ACT Consumer Affairs.
During the phone calls, consumers were advised that a financial institution had been investigated by Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs and as a result of an investigation the consumer was entitled to receive a refund of over $4000. The consumers were then asked to pay $100 for a voucher and a cheque would then be provided to them.
Mr Phillips said that while details of each call may vary slightly, the fact of the matter is that the Office of Regulatory Services – Fair Trading Unit does not contact consumers out of the blue and does not charge people money to receive a refund they are allegedly entitled to.