Music: 'ES_Luminescence' by Trevor Kowalski
Length: 2:25 minutes
Title: 'In January 2019, Margaret Connell was scammed by fake tradies for over $10,000.' slides in, then out on a blue background.
Heavy rains caused water damage inside the house. The insurance company told Margaret she needed new guttering before they could complete repair work.
Description: Cut to Margaret Connell sitting in an armchair inside her house.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): I had the insurance company out. And they said they wouldn’t do anything much,
Description: Cut to the exterior and roof of Margaret’s house.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): until I got new gutters up.
Description: Cut to Margaret Connell sitting in armchair.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): I had to get the inside done, so the outside was first – the gutters.
So, I said well okay then. New gutters, I will get new gutters.
So, we were looking for names, pamphlets you know, and we got one, and I thought well that looks okay.
The first day was the quote, he (the tradie) told me what I was going to have to pay.
Description: Cut to guttering and raw fascia board the fake tradies installed on Margaret’s veranda of house.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): But it has to be done, it’s cash, a cash job.
Description: Cut to Margaret Connell sitting in armchair.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): After everything they came down one bloke said that would be $7,400 Margaret and I said yes okay. The one behind him says that’s $10,400 now.
Three days and they were finished. Think they must have put it up with chewing gum, you know.
I said if you’re doing this, are you doing it properly, they said, ‘Yes of course.’
I said are you going to finish everything and when everything is done you are going to throw the rubbish away?
He says, ‘Oh yes, no worries, no worries.’
Title: 'The work was not completed to building standards, and rubbish was not removed.' slides in, then out on a blue background.
Description: Cut to Margaret Connell sitting in armchair.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): They came the next day and I had to give them $6,000.
I gave them it because I had to get everything started, you know. I said I’ll go to the bank to get a bit more.
So, he came back a couple of days later, and he came back, and I am sitting here with my purse in my hand. I’ve got $4,000 here and I still got a wee bit in my purse to give them, and he says, 'That’s enough.'
Description: Margaret Connell makes a sweeping motion with her right hand to show how the tradie grabbed the money from her left hand.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): We’re finished, that’s it, you’ve paid.
Description: Cuts to Margaret Connell sitting in armchair.
Audio (Margaret Connell to camera): I never got anything, no receipts no nothing.
That’s $10,400 and something dollars gone.
Title: Consumer Affairs Victoria logo appears on a white background 'Report suspected fake tradies on 1300 133 408. For more information visit consumer.vic.gov.au/faketradies.'
Title: 'Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne. Spoken by M. Connell.'