Avoiding Scams & Fraud

Follow these simple tips and avoid being the victim of a scam!

AussieTraders.com.au is not involved in and does not guarantee any transactions. All transactions are conducted directly between the buyer & seller.

Tips for buyers

  1. Trade locally in person.
    If you meet the person face to face you will avoid most of the scams that operate online.
  2. Never pay money in advance.
    Fraudsters often ask for deposits or money in advance. Insist on meeting in person to exchange the item for sale with the money.
  3. Never pay by Western Union, wire transfer or moneygram.
    These services can not be traced in the event of a scam.
  4. Phone the seller!
    Call the seller on an Australian landline number (not a mobile) as landlines can be located back to a physical address in the event of fraud.
  5. Never give out your personal details.
    Avoid giving out information such as your credit card details or bank details.
  6. If it sounds to good to be true, it is!
    Scams and fraud offers often sound too good to be true e.g. selling expensive items well below normal value.
  7. Trust your instinct.
    If it doesn't feel right, don't proceed.

Tips for sellers

  1. Never send goods overseas.
    AussieTraders.com.au is an Australian website. Any request to ship outside Australia is a scam (no matter how convincing it sounds)!
  2. Ensure cheques and money transfers are cleared funds.
    Fraudulent money orders & cheques that can be banked only to bounce a week later are common with scammers.
  3. Only use postage and escrow services you are familiar with.
    It is common for scammers to setup fake postage/courier websites or fake escrow websites and then direct you to them. This is a scam. Only use postage and escrow methods that are local and familiar to you.
  4. Never accept over-payment with a partial refund!
    A common scam is to overpay for an item to cover shipping and then ask the seller to refund the left over money.
  5. If it sounds to good to be true, it is!
    Scams and fraud often sound too good to be true. e.g. over paying the asking price.

What AussieTraders.com.au is doing to protect you

AussieTraders.com.au put a large amount of effort into filtering out fraudlent ads before they are ever displayed on the website, however some fraudulent ads do make it onto the site.

If you think an ad is fraudulent, please contact us as soon as possible so we can investigate it and warn others.

Visit the Australian Governments Scam Watch website for the latest scam information.

Reporting fraud

Fraud is a serious crime and should be reported to your local police station.