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Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Major Aussie warning on ‘ghost stores'
Australia's consumer watchdog has issued a major warning to online shoppers over several 'ghost stores', which are luring shoppers to buy heavily discounted products from scam websites. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) received more than 360 complaints about 60 retailers that operate as ghost stores this year, but believe many more could be in operation. The ACCC alleges these 'ghost stores' making false claims they are a local Australian business that is closing down - claiming to sell high-quality clothing and footwear. In reality, they are based overseas and ship inferior, low-quality items. The ACCC warned consumers to be wary of ghost stores that masquerade as a local business selling heavily discounted products, but are really based overseas and ship how quality items compared to what's advertised. Supplied Credit: Supplied Ghost stores target consumers through social media ads, then close and rebrand under new names, often using different Australian suburbs, towns or cities in their business name to appear as a local business. The ACCC issued a public warning to notify consumers of four websites currently in operation including and ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe warned Australians about the risks of engaging with these websites, alleging they are not based in Melbourne, Adelaide or Double Bay and they were not closing down. 'We further allege that the operators of these websites are supplying products which are not of the advertised quality,' she said. The ACCC received more than 360 complaints about 60 ghost stores this year. Supplied Credit: Supplied Authorities are concerned the conduct is widespread and there were many online ghost stores in operation that falsely claim to be local boutiques but supply poor quality products. Ghost stores also refuse refunds, or only offer partial refunds to consumers who complain about the inferior quality of the goods compared to what is advertised, or do not respond to complaints at all. Ms Lowe urged people to think twice before clicking on ads they saw on social media which claim to be from a boutique business based in a local town or city. 'Often ghost stores will share an emotional story on their social media or website that they are a small, locally operated business, needing to close for financial reasons,' she said. Authorities are concerned the conduct is widespread and there are many online ghost stores in operation and falsely claim to be local boutiques but supply poor quality products. Supplied Credit: Supplied 'They will claim they are having a 'closing down sale' as a result, with all stock heavily discounted and available on a very limited basis. 'This conduct preys on the empathy of consumers who have a genuine desire to support local businesses, as well as creating a false sense of urgency. 'The websites often use a similar format to many other online stores, advertising high-quality boutique clothing at heavily discounted prices. 'However, when the product arrives in the mail, consumers report receiving cheap, mass-produced products that have been sold at an inflated price and do not fit their advertised quality or description.'
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Offshore wind ‘more expensive' than hoped
The Australian's Environment Editor Graham Lloyd says offshore wind is proving to be 'more expensive and more difficult' than was hoped. Mr Lloyd told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio that companies have largely 'lost their money' after trying it. Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor has abandoned its third offshore wind project in Australia.
Courier-Mail
2 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
G8 Education crashes after Joshua Brown allegations
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. The company that operates the Point Cook childcare centre at the heart of Victoria's alleged child sex abuse horror is crashing in value, losing some $120m in the market since Tuesday. G8 Education, a listed company on the ASX, has declined some 16 per cent since Tuesday's revelation that Joshua Brown, a childcare worker at the company's Creative Garden Point Cook centre, allegedly sexually abused eight children aged from five months to two years. The decline has wiped out about $120m in market value as investors flee the company. On Thursday, investment bank Macquarie downgraded its 12-month price target for the stock to $1.15 from $1.53, citing the Point Cook incident. G8 slumped 7 per cent across the day and traded for just $1 at 3.30pm for a market capitalisation of some $765m. In a statement from Tuesday, the company acknowledged that a 'former G8 Education team member' had been charged with offences involving children. 'The current charges against the former team member are in relation to offences involving children at Creative Garden Point Cook only,' the company said. Stock in G8 Education has fallen 15 per cent since Tuesday. Picture: Supplied 'These allegations are serious in nature and are extremely distressing. 'We are focused on supporting all those impacted not just at our centres but across the community. 'Aligned with G8 Education's commitment to child safety and protection, during the former team member's employment, all required employment and background checks, including working with children checks, were current in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements … we are co-operating fully with Victoria Police, the Victorian government and other relevant authorities as part of the investigation.' The company added that it had 'no tolerance' for behaviour that compromised the safety or wellbeing of children. 'As this is now a legal matter, we are unable to comment further on the specifics of the case,' the company said. G8 operates more than 400 centres across the country. For the 2024 calendar year, the company reported $1.021bn in revenues and net profits of $67.7m. G8 has struggled across 2025, even before this week's dramatic tumble. Year-to-date, shares in the company are down about 25 per cent. Alleged child sex abuser Joshua Brown worked at a G8 Education centre. Picture Supplied., Police have charged Michael Simon Wilson with raping a teenage boy. Picture: Supplied On Tuesday, Victorian Police revealed they had charged Mr Brown, 26, with 70 offences after he allegedly abused eight children at the centre. It is alleged some children were as young as five months. A widespread investigation has now been launched, with Victoria's chief health officer saying 1200 children have been recommended to undergo infectious diseases testing. Mr Brown was arrested on May 12 and is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on September 15. Police allege Mr Brown worked at 20 centres across the state between January 2017 and May 2025. A second man known to Mr Brown, Michael Simon Wilson, has also been charged with child sex offences. On Wednesday afternoon, Victorian Police revealed Mr Wilson was a 36-year-old man from Hoppers Crossing. He has been charged with raping a teenage boy, possessing child abuse material, and bestiality. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has pledged urgent reform in the wake of Tuesday's allegations. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short Mr Wilson's alleged offences are not believed to involve childcare centres or any of Mr Brown's alleged victims. The allegations against Mr Brown and Mr Wilson have rocked the country. Education Minister Jason Clare, speaking on Wednesday, promised urgent reforms into child safety, including cutting off funding for centres that fail to meet minimum standards. He also flagged changes to background checks for workers. 'It's taken too long to do the work necessary to make sure that our Working with Children Check system is up to scratch,' he said. 'In too many examples, a perpetrator is eventually caught and arrested and sentenced, there's somebody that got a Working with Children Check because they had no prior criminal record,' he said. Originally published as Stock in G8 Education declines 15 per cent on Joshua Brown allegations
