Consumers have been warned not to deal with clothing and accessories website Bondi United which has falsely claimed to support victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Following an investigation, NSW Fair Trading has issued a public warning about the trader after determining that assertions made by Bondi United's trader Mr Marvaldeep Singh linking himself to the terrorist attack were false.
Bondi United sold its clothing and accessories through the websites www.bondiunited.com and www.bondiproject.com, both of which have now been taken down.
After interventions by NSW Fair Trading, Bondi United has also indicated it will be paying refunds to consumers who contact the business requesting a refund.
This joins a separate public warning issued in January about misleading claims made by the Isla & James website, which has also been taken down following NSW Fair Trading's investigations.
NSW Fair Trading does not tolerate misleading conduct and is actively monitoring for scammers targeting people in the aftermath of the events at Bondi.
Consumers can lodge complaints against companies with NSW Fair Trading via the NSW Fair Trading website, at any ServiceNSW centre, or by calling 13 32 20.
To view the public warning against Bondi United, please visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/fair-trading/news/public-warning-bondi-united
Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:
"Attempting to profit off this horrific incident is just plain wrong - and it is a breach of Australian Consumer Law.
"The NSW Government strongly condemns any attempts to mislead consumers in the aftermath of this terror event, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect consumers from this behaviour.
"I encourage people to buy from reputable sellers, be cautious when dealing with unfamiliar online sellers, and get in contact with NSW Fair Trading if they believe they have been adversely affected by this business."
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann said:
"These misleading websites are deeply concerning, and we have taken strong regulatory action to ensure that they do not continue to spread misinformation in the community.
"NSW Fair Trading monitors for scammers or fundraisers who target people following major events, including environmental disasters, and has powers to investigate businesses and prevent consumer harm.
"In these situations, take steps to verify that the trader is legitimate and is not misrepresenting a connection to the victims of the attack or that proceeds of sales will go to the support of victims of the attack."
