Be Scam Smart

Green Theme

June 5th saw the Office of Fair Trading going green for World Environment Day by encouraging shoppers to consider the environment when buying products. “By adopting some simple green shopping habits, we can help significantly reduce waste and environmental damage,” Fair Trading says. Some tips for shopping green are:

• Choose refillable or reusable packs
• Avoid over-packaged goods
• Say no to unnecessary plastic bags, take your own bags when shopping, and reuse the ones you so obtain
• Buy locally made products to reduce environmental damage caused during transportation


• Choose products made from paper, cardboard, aluminium and recycled plastics.

For more environmentally friendly purchasing tips, visit the ‘Being a Green Consumer’ section of the Office of Fair Trading website.

Most of us have received a telemarketing call in an inopportune moment, whether it be during dinner, or the best bit of your soapie. Results show that inconvenience, the hard sell tactics used, and privacy issues are the top three things people find annoying about these calls. The Office of Fair Trading offers the following advice when confronted with these calls:

• Ask the caller who they represent, write down their details and request to be taken off their list
• Hang up if you are feeling pressured by hard sell tactics
• Ask for information on the product to be sent to you by mail so you can compare prices and shop around
• Register with the Australian Direct Marketing Association’s "Do Not Call" consumer service

YOUNG AND MOBILE

With society and technology becoming increasingly more mobile, the office of Fair Trading says that young people especially should develop their knowledge of warranties, contract and credit rights. With 58% of Queensland primary school students with access to mobile phones and 30% of secondary school students with their own, it offers this advice to young consumers considering buying such products.

• Consider pre-paid plans to limit expenditure
• Shop around and compare prices, conditions and plans
• Check where the phone will and won’t work
• Check what will happen if there is a problem with the phone


• Check charges for set-up, call connection, SMS messages, changing plans or cancellation of contract.

www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au