AN Altona North car dealer was convicted of breaching the Fair Trading Act last week.
Ezzat Taleb from Taleb Car Sales on Blackshaws Rd pleaded guilty and was fined $1000 for advertising cars for sale online without disclosing in the ads he was a licensed motor car trader.
Mr Taleb admitted to making misleading representations by advertising in the private sellers section of carsales.com.au.
Victorian law requires licensed motor car traders to disclose their details and licence number in advertising.
Mr Taleb offered 23 cars for sale between January 2009 and February 2010 on the website – most of the cars sold.
Consumer Affairs Victoria Deputy Director Geoff Browne said Consumer Affairs Victoria’s routine monitoring of car advertising picked up the issue.
Mr Browne also said it was the second case in recent weeks where Consumer Affairs Victoria had prosecuted a licensed motor car trader for advertising in the private sellers section of a car sales website.
“Licensed motor car traders know they must disclose their details in advertising, or risk being caught by Consumer Affairs Victoria,” Mr Browne said.
“If consumers know a licensed motor car trader is advertising vehicles as a private seller, they should report the matter to Consumer Affairs Victoria.”
In the last financial year, court action taken by Consumer Affairs Victoria against unlawful motor car traders notched up more than $150,000 in penalties, compensation orders and court costs.
