Scammed by Mobile Car Detailer

Lmfcdr599 on 06/09/2021 - 15:02
Last edited 06/09/2021 - 15:34 by 1 other user

I was scammed by a Melbourne car wash business, need advice on what action to take please.

A family member needed help selling their car, so I organised a mobile detailer to come and detail the car before listing it online. I found a decent deal through Groupon and rang them to make sure they were operating during lockdown. They were, and requested direct payment without involving Groupon.

I paid $250 cash for a full exterior detail and found that the detailer finished the job unusually quickly. The car looked pretty average upon completion as well. After they left, I checked my home CCTV footage and found that he had only done a basic wash and spent two minutes polishing one part of the car. He spent the rest of the time on his phone and working very slowly.

I rang the car wash to request a refund and was told by the owner/manager that the detailer who did the car is a contractor and that they are not responsible. The detailer is not responding to any texts and phone calls for obvious reasons.

Am I out the $250 or is there anything I can do to get a refund?

Edit: the offender is High End Car Wash in Laverton

Automotive Car Care Car Wash

Comments

  • PissLUR on 06/09/2021 - 15:06
    +10

    was told by the owner/manager that the detailer who did the car is a contractor and that they are not responsible.

    this is so wrong! name & shame.

    write a bad review on google and make a fuss.

    They were, and requested direct payment without involving Groupon.

    did you get a good discount?

    • bobbified on 06/09/2021 - 15:12
      +6

      did you get a good discount?

      For $250, whatever "discount" OP got (with or without Groupon) would've only been "perceived". lol

    • mfcdr599 on 06/09/2021 - 15:14

      Original service was marked at $425, on Groupon for $280. I think perceived discount indeed, or the guy was just in a rush a figured he could get away with it.

      • bobbified on 06/09/2021 - 15:18
        +2

        I had a look on Groupon but couldn't find a listing with those prices.

        Might as well name and shame. I would be pissed - not only because the guy didn't do the job properly, but also because of being completely fobbed off by the company.

        Complain to Groupon as well and every other platform that has user reviews. Include the footage (with blurred out plates) where you can so it's much harder for them to deny.

          • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 15:31
            +2

            @mfcdr599:

            3D Machine Polish

            WTF is this bullshit.

            There is no way a detailer can do everything listed properly for $250.

            • bloom on 06/09/2021 - 15:35
              +4

              @Muzeeb: As long as you move your polisher up, down, left & right it’s 3D haha

              • afoveht on 06/09/2021 - 17:16
                +5

                @bloom:

                As long as you move your polisher up, down, left & right it’s 3D haha

                That's actually only in 2 axes so only 2D. Need to add some in and out or there and back.

          • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 15:35

            @mfcdr599: This is their website

            • pharkurnell on 06/09/2021 - 15:41

              @Muzeeb: oOOOOOOOOOOO……….. a mobile number… LOL….

              OzFakeBookings

              • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 15:44
                +3

                @pharkurnell: I just emailed them to see if they use contractors and if they are vetted. This was the reply

                This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.

                A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
                recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:

                [email protected]
                LMTP error after end of data: 552 5.2.2 <[email protected]> Not enough disk quota

                • pharkurnell on 06/09/2021 - 15:51
                  +3

                  @Muzeeb: Your email is important to us, leave your name and something somewhere and we will ignore it as soon as possible.

                • Hithere on 06/09/2021 - 15:59

                  @Muzeeb: Try 'highendcarwash.com.au'

                  • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 16:00
                    +2

                    @Hithere: Good find. I just clicked the hyperlink on their website.

                    Edit: emailed again. No bounce back yet. Imagine having the wrong email address hyperlinked on your website. What a bunch of Muppets.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2021 - 15:32
        +3

        Original service was marked at $425, on Groupon for $280. I think perceived discount indeed, or the guy was just in a rush a figured he could get away with it.

        Yeah because you already paid him.

        Always pay after the service is complete.

  • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 15:09
    +6

    Consider the money gone. I hope you weren't expecting a transformed car for $250 anyway.

    requested direct payment without involving Groupon

    Big red car flag 🇦🇱

    • Bafranz on 06/09/2021 - 15:12

      Down the drain so to speak..

    • mfcdr599 on 06/09/2021 - 15:12
      +3

      A transformed car, no. But a decent cut and polish with a coat of wax to get it looking decent for sale, yes. :(

  • plmko on 06/09/2021 - 15:11
    +2

    If you paid over the phone with a credit card just do a charge back.

    • pharkurnell on 06/09/2021 - 15:26
      +2

      I paid $250 cash

      • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 15:28
        +5

        Good for Gumtree deal.
        Bad for Groupon fake deal.

  • Platinumtelecom on 06/09/2021 - 15:14
    +5

    Email Groupon with all your proof. Tell them they have requested to deal with you outside of Groupon.
    Hopefully they will take his listing down and he will lose a lot of business.

    Or threaten him to do so, If he is worried about losing money on Groupon, he will refund you.

    It’s ridiculous to suggest that as the business collecting the money, he isn’t responsible. Your dealings are with his business, not the contractor.

    • pharkurnell on 06/09/2021 - 15:26
      +6

      … and requested direct payment without involving Groupon.
      I paid $250 cash

      Im picturing Groupon wont care.

  • noinfo on 06/09/2021 - 15:21

    Who did this? In today's world this is not cool at all. Oh I can see now. So much for their name - what is so high end about them; clearly not much.

  • Hithere on 06/09/2021 - 15:40
    +1

    The car wash owner is a (profanity) to avoid issues like this they treat their employees as contractors.

    Sham contracting as it's known is done to avoid paying minimum wages, super, etc.,

    OP will have to go to the person who turned up to do the job if they can be found.

    What's the betting that they haven't got an ABN, insurance etc., and it'll end up costing more than it's worth to chase them through the legal system.

    Leave them a really bad review OP with all the relevant facts.

    • newjerseydamo on 06/09/2021 - 15:50
      +6

      Then report them to the ATO.
      They will then be audited and have to back pay PAYG and Super, and potentially more.

      • kiitos on 07/09/2021 - 08:26

        Re: PAYG and super not if they only contract their labour.

        • newjerseydamo on 07/09/2021 - 10:40

          Except if they're treating their employees like contractors, as per what was mentioned.
          A determination can be made by the ATO that they are in fact employees, and the business treated as such by the ATO.

  • Seraphin7 on 06/09/2021 - 15:45
    +6

    I rang the car wash to request a refund and was told by the owner/manager that the detailer who did the car is a contractor and that they are not responsible.

    Assuming you did the deal with the car wash, that's simply BS. You have a deal with the car wash, not the contractor. The car wash has not delivered the service you paid for. Whether they attempted to provide the service via a contractor or otherwise is no business of yours.

    I paid $250 cash for a full exterior detail and found that the detailer finished the job unusually quickly.

    He spent the rest of the time on his phone and working very slowly.

    Was the dude quick or slow?

    • mfcdr599 on 06/09/2021 - 16:30

      I know it's BS. I was expecting approx 3-4hrs for the whole job, he completed a basic wash at a very slow pace (approx 1hr 45mins) to make it seem that he had done more.

      • Seraphin7 on 06/09/2021 - 17:24

        Stick it back up the car wash then.

        Your likely best option is to get them to do the job again. Whether or not that actually improves the situation might be debatable.

  • bohn on 06/09/2021 - 15:45

    Take them to VCAT

  • Sterio on 06/09/2021 - 15:48

    It wouldn't be too hard to rock up to the business and see whether the so called contractor is onsite detailing other vehicles. Since he is not responding to any of of your texts or phone calls, you can raise your concerns in person.

    If you feel uncomfortable doing this lone take a mate, a big mate if you have one.

  • pegaxs on 06/09/2021 - 16:05
    +2

    You paid up front?

  • nedski on 06/09/2021 - 16:12
    +2

    It doesnt matter if they said a contractor did it and they werent responsible. The person who you paid the money to has to comply with their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law.

    If you have that video that shows the service you were promised was not what you received, then you are entitled to get your money back.

    Send them a letter of demand and advise that if they dont respond, you will lodge a complaint with the relevant CAT. If you win that, you can also claim the filing fee as well.

    • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 16:27
      +3

      Upload the video to YouTube and link to it in your 1 star Google review.

      • nedski on 06/09/2021 - 16:28

        Just be careful with 1 star reviews. People have becoming a little litigious over those.

        • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/09/2021 - 16:32
          +1

          yep only state the facts and ideally facts that can be backed up.

        • DoctorCalculon on 06/09/2021 - 20:43

          People have becoming a little litigious over those.

          Last time I checked, Google accounts are not ID verified.
          If you use a VPN, fake name and DOB for your Google account, where will the party wanting to sue serve you with papers?

          Just make sure you don't post any personal information in your reviews which will allow the dodgy seller (who deserves to be gutted with bad reviews) to ID you that way. For example, you were incorrectly charged $233 on 03/09/2021. Use a slightly different amount and day.

  • Big Lenny on 06/09/2021 - 16:25
    +1

    scammed big time

    and they probably pocketed the cash without declaring to ato as well

  • bobokingdom on 06/09/2021 - 16:28

    Did you pay the business or the person? Is it possible the person is ripping off his workplace and do this as a side job?

  • Muzeeb on 06/09/2021 - 16:33

    Is this your review op?

    • mfcdr599 on 06/09/2021 - 16:53
      +1

      No, seems someone else has had a similar experience. I will leave a 1 star review only if the issue can't be resolved.

  • nedski on 06/09/2021 - 16:33
    +8

    I like this bit from their website

    https://www.highendcarwash.com.au/

    Our tool free number will be answered

  • malich on 06/09/2021 - 16:55
    +1

    Surely it wouldn't matter if the person is a contractor or employee?

    You paid the main business to complete a service, it's up to that business to ensure that the service is completed effectively.

    When you're building a home. If there's an issue with the tiling, you complain to simonds/metricon and they then pursue the issues with the tiling contractor.

    I'd just press the complaint further with the main business. If they don't rectify the issue then you can pursue with vcat if you want to..

  • sim777 on 06/09/2021 - 17:24
    +1

    They have just over 200 reviews with a 4.5 rating, doubt a single 1/5 will change much, I would consider posting on their other social media if they have one

  • JimmyF on 06/09/2021 - 18:38

    and rang them to make sure they were operating during lockdown

    Ahhh yes the 'essential' car detailing….. No wonder our case numbers are not going down.

    • DoctorCalculon on 06/09/2021 - 20:49

      By the same token, gardeners, tradies working by themselves and outdoors should not be allowed to work either, right?

  • MontyMacaw on 07/09/2021 - 08:05

    Tell the company they can do it the easy way and refund your money or do it the hard way and direct them to some ideas you got from this post and provide them with the URL. Either way, tell them, you will get your money’s worth. 😈

  • Ash-Say on 07/09/2021 - 08:18
    +4

    Ask this firm to provide tax invoice and it must clearly provide the type of service they provided. You hired them for service, so not your responsibility whether they sent employee or contractor to do the job. You have two options from here:

    1) If they refuse to provide tax invoice, tell them you are reporting them to ATO for running a cash business and refusing to provide tax invoice.

    2) If they provide tax invoice and the service wasn't provided, dispute the invoice and be ready to engage VCAT. Ensure you save copy of footage before it's overridden and any copy of listing from Groupon and their website showing pricing and work covered for that pricing.

    Good luck!

    • TheOtherLeft on 07/09/2021 - 08:27

      The OP agreed to do a cash in hand transaction so was off the books. I think the detailer was doing a side job without his employer knowing.

      • Ash-Say on 07/09/2021 - 08:34
        +1

        Doing cash transaction doesn't mean you are not entitied to tax invoice.

        • TheOtherLeft on 07/09/2021 - 08:37
          +1

          A lot of tradies agree/prefer to do cashies so the job is off the books and hence don't pay GST.

  • jrvb42 on 07/09/2021 - 08:44

    Why did you pay upfront? No reputable business needs (full) payment upfront, especially if minimal outlays on their part are required. Upfront payment is a red flag of a dodgy business. Lesson learnt, but make sure you take the person you gave the money to along to small claims tribunal, in addition to naming and shaming. Pop the video on YouTube as well with a link.

    • Zachary on 12/09/2021 - 19:58

      Why did you pay upfront? No reputable business needs (full) payment upfront, especially if minimal outlays on their part are required. Upfront payment is a red flag of a dodgy business.

      What about call out fee? Isn't that part of upfront payment? or what if their excuse is "But we also don't want to be scammed by our customers so up front payment is a must in our business"?

  • OzHunterNSW on 07/09/2021 - 12:01

    No… you have visual evidence the job was not "as expected" for $250.

    Forget about this "contractor" the issue is between you and the guy you paid to have the service done.

    You write a letter to him citing your proof, and that you hold him personally responsible, and den=[mand a full refund in fourteen (14) days…. after which you will take the matter to Tribunal.

    After they failing to pay, or respond, simply contact the Dep of Fair Trading, or (in NSW) NCAT… Civil Tribunal.

    You are suing for your money back.

    Do it

  • yellowfever on 12/09/2021 - 20:53

    I didn't know you can sell your car, let alone engage an external car wash, during lockdown

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