Top five scams

Scams, ruses and plain old retail rip-offs, it's not only the super-shysters that make a fortune swindling us.

Most of us have at one time succumbed to bad building work, ruined travel plans, rental rorts, faulty phones and computers, shonky car deals, electrical appliances and furniture; the list of cons goes on and on.

So what are the worst scams; the real humdingers that sting people most.

Our consumer agencies are inundated with 8 million enquiries and complaints each year, which equates to more than 22,000 a day at a rate of almost 3,000 an hour.

Today Tonight contacted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as well as state Consumers Affairs and Fair Trading offices to uncover the top 5 gripes of the year.

Scam Number 1
Undoubtedly the big daddy of scams: internet and identity fraud.

Detective Inspector John Potter of the Victorian Fraud Squad says online fraud is a particularly serious problem for Australians.

"It is the fastest growing type of crime at the moment is identity crime or identity theft, and we're seeing these types of crimes being committed in a number of ways" Det. Insp. John Potter says.

"More and more people are being fleeced, sometimes financially devastated."

And the online fraud expert says popular networking sites can also be potential playgrounds for online villains.

"Facebook and Myspace are of concern to police," Det. Insp. Potter says.

"Use a different name or whatever you wish to do, but don't put personal details down, because these type of personal details could be harvested by criminals and used to develop up an identity, or steal that person's identity to use for criminal activities," he says.

Global internet scams and frauds are multiplying at a rapid rate and they're the most costly rip-offs.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics found almost 1 in 4 people are targeted each year and 800,000 fall victim.

The financial losses are massive, with losses of around $1 billion every year.

Phishing attacks (emails or phone calls pretending to be your bank asking to update your confidential information, like usernames and passwords) are continuing to con people.

So are the overseas lotteries, pyramid schemes, chain letters and Nigerian-type scams that ask you to send an advance fee.

Det. Insp. Potter's advice is to just ignore scam emails.

Scam Number 2
Electrical goods, that do not work or are poor of quality.

Complaints figures on electrical goods soared this year due to thousands of unsafe products

Also bolstering complaints figures, recalled Electrolux dishwashers that have so far caused 239 fires in Australia, setting alight kitchens and melting and smoke-destroying whole homes and their contents.

Scam Number 3
Bad, delayed and overpriced building work on new homes, extensions, kitchen renovations, pergolas and verandas, plumbing, gas and electrical work, fencing, paving and landscaping.

Scam Number 4
Refund problems.

Virginia Judge, NSW Fair Trading Minister says shoppers are being wrongly denied their warranty rights, refused refunds and repairs, even when products are clearly faulty or misrepresented. At major stores in Australia, try and return items after 12 months consumers are getting into difficulty, even with extended warranties.

Today Tonight tested Big W, Target, K-Mart, Clive Anthonys, DJs and Myer - all told us no refunds after 12 months, even if we had a 3-year warranty.

Scam Number 5
Motor vehicles are always in the top 5 because of poor quality, outright lemons, repeated faults and break downs, dishonoured warranties, and shonky servicing.

Other top complaints at consumers affairs and fair trading offices, shoddily made furniture, computer hardware, fixed telephone and mobile phone problems. And tenancy issues are major around the nation, especially in this economic climate.

Travel and tourism is also one of the top 10 scams.

But don't just cop it, it pays to complain if you have no luck with the trader.

Source: www.yahoo7.acom.au/todaytonight.