WARNING: Notorious con-man operating in Burnett region

THE Queensland Office of Fair Trading have issued a warning to Wide Bay-Burnett residents that dodgy fencer, Matthew Geoffrey Rixon, is up to his old tricks.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) have put out a warning against dealing with Matthew Geoffrey Rixon, whose phony fencing business received 15 complaints in the past six months. File Photo.

NOTORIOUS con-man Matthew Geoffrey Rixon, who masquerades as a legitimate fencing business, is up to his usual tricks - this time operating in the Wide Bay-Burnett area.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) have put out a pre-Christmas warning against dealing with Rixon, who has been the subject of a whooping 15 complaints in the past six months from consumers who paid him for fencing and other residential building works.

No work has been done and no refunds have been issued.

Rixon has registered a number of business names including:

Coral Fencing ACN 35 628 833 741

Wide Bay Fencing ACN 0 061 285 434

All About Fences ACN 21 106 417 654

East Coast Fencing Solutions ACN 35 628 833 741

It is also believed he is misusing a legitimate trader business name, Sunshine Fencing Enterprises Pty Ltd, which is a licensed business located at Bribie Island and not associated with Rixon.

The OFT previously issued a warning about this trader when he was operating on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane as CDA Fencing Pty Ltd.

He was jailed in March 2018 for breaching a New South Wales court order to stop performing residential building works and prosecuted by the OFT in 2017.

Mr Rixon has also been known to operate under other aliases, including Matthew Douglas and Matt Douglas.

Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said OFT and QPS were working together to stop the serial fraudster.

“Mr Rixon uses classified ads to attract business,” Mr Bauer said.

“He uses business names that are similar to legitimate and reputable companies to lull consumers into a false sense of security.

“Consumers thinking about having any construction or fencing work done are strongly advised to check with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission to see whether the trader they are thinking of hiring needs to be licensed.”

“Before engaging a trader, ask to see their licence (if applicable) and ask for recent reviews or testimonials from other consumers. Better still, ask your friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues, to see if someone can recommend a trader.”

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