Australians warned over rise in sneaky fake butcher scams on Facebook

Fake profiles are preying on Australians in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis, with some people admitting they’ve lost over $500 in an instant.

Fake butcher profiles are preying on West Australians in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis, promising cheap bulk meat deals on social media only to scam buyers out of hundreds of dollars.

The surge in fraudulent offers has been met with a stern warning from Consumer Protection, which has urged locals to stay vigilant when seeking ways to cut grocery costs.

Commissioner Trish Blake said scammers are exploiting working class Aussies who are feeling the pinch at the supermarket and are looking elsewhere to fill their fridges.

“Meat is a significant expense for most families, making these scams particularly attractive during times of financial hardship,” she said.

The scam has already seen some victims lose more than $500.

Northam resident Jay, a father of two, thought he was getting a great deal when he saw an offer for bulk meat on Facebook. Communicating via Messenger, Jay paid $360 upfront for a mixed family pack that never arrived.

“It’s not a small amount of money,” Jay said via PerthNow. “It caused a bit of stress. And I think to myself, how I come to this trap.”

Jay isn’t alone. Many West Australians, including Olivia from Kununurra, in the state’s far north, have fallen victim to similar scams.

Olivia ordered $545 worth of meat, believing she was supporting a small business offering organic meat deliveries to her remote area.

“Up here with the wet season, you get blocked in from the Northern Territory side, as well as WA, it is quite a distance, so it’s about a 30-hour drive or three-hour flight from Perth to Kununurra, so when the wet season comes sometimes you do have limited stock in the stores, that was the appeal,” she said.

Fake butcher profiles are preying on West Australians, promising cheap bulk meat deals on social media only to scam buyers out of hundreds of dollars.

Her suspicions were confirmed when the meat never arrived, and the scammers asked for a copy of her “authorised government card.” Shortly after, Olivia was blocked by the scammers and the Facebook group.

Consumer Protection’s ScamNet team has managed to shut down two fake profiles, but the battle is ongoing.

“Our ScamNet team has had some success in getting pages pulled down, however it is likely the scammers are creating new profiles just as quickly,” Ms Blake said.

She advised consumers to be wary of bulk meat sold directly from farmers, lack of legitimate reviews, requests for bank transfers over social media, and businesses without a fixed address.

Legitimate butchers are also feeling the sting. Perth Meat Supplies owner Izaak Currie said scammers have stolen his business photos to promote fake deals.

“It has been affecting us when people want to put in a big order, but they’re apprehensive because they’re not too sure if I’m a scammer or not,” he said.

Currie’s business is working to get verified on Facebook to help customers distinguish his legitimate operation from the fake ones.

Originally published as Australians warned over rise in sneaky fake butcher scams on Facebook