Grey nomads are being warned to be extremely cautious when buying caravans or motorhomes online, as scam websites continue to con unsuspecting customers out of their cash.
One Grey Nomads reader, who preferred not to be identified, says he lost $19,900 after what turned out to be a fake website lured him in with the promise of a good deal on a caravan.
He says he answered the ad on the fake RV Mosman website page (pictured) and entered into conversations with an ‘agent’ via email and telephone before paying for the ‘van’ by bank transfer.
The man says he had checked the operation of RV Mosman and their (supposed) freight agent, which all appeared perfectly legitimate.
This website has been identified as a scam. PIC: NT Consumer Affairs
However, when the van failed to be delivered to the agreed address on the agreed date, the man checked into the tracking number provided by the ‘shipping agent’.
“This subsequently turned out to be all part of a huge Russian scam, and I lost my $19,900 cold,” said the man. “The Suncorp Bank are trying to track the money through the HSBC Bank where the money was sent, but it seems to have been spirited away overseas never to be seen again … like my imaginary caravan.”
The man is keen to warn other nomads to be very careful and never to buy anything online that they haven’t actually seen.
NT Consumer Affairs says the fake RV Mosman website was taken down last month but, since October 2019, it has detected 331 sites with a similar look and feel to the site.
It says the sale item varies from caravans and tractors to construction machinery, and the scammers and their servers appear to be located overseas.
“Sometimes the scammers use legitimate business names,” said Traci Keys, NT Commissioner of Consumer Affairs. “We always check with the legitimate business before informing the public … the business whose identity is being used, are generally unaware of the scam. “
Click here to see the steps NT Consumer Affairs recommends grey nomads take to protect themselves from scam websites.
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