Car lotteries and raffles facing police, ACCC scrutiny
Woman has new car ‘prize’ repossessed as police investigate new car give-awaySocial media is awash with new car give-aways but the countless lotteries and raffles on offer are now under the microscope of the authorities as some ‘winners’ are facing significant out-of-pocket costs.
Victoria Police is investigating whether any criminal offenses have been committed in the case of a heavily modified Y62 Nissan Patrol give-away, valued at more than $100,000, that was repossessed by Nissan’s financial arm.
And the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has issued a warning to punters who buy raffle or lottery tickets in the hope of winning expensive cars.
“If a consumer wins a high-value prize such as a car, they should make sure that the lottery organiser provides them with the legal paperwork to accompany that prize,” the ACCC said in statement.
Following a Victorian woman’s shock when her new car was taken away – and its recent crackdown on social media influencers – the consumer watchdog said that people should always check the lottery permit numbers before buying tickets.
Amelia Conway, a 22-year-old from Colac in regional Victoria, told the ABC she was browsing Facebook when she fell in love with a heavily-modified, wide-body Nissan Patrol and decided to spend $120 on raffle tickets.
The charity raffle was organised by Hello Lifestyle Australia (which has since deleted all of its online accounts and shut down its website and business operations) and was won by Conway in July 2022.
“It was unbelievable really... it was just nuts, everyone was going crazy,” she told the ABC after being flown to Queensland by the lottery organiser to collect her prize 4x4.
But when Conway ran checks on the vehicle and tried to register it in Victoria, she discovered it wasn’t paid for and on February 1 this year it was repossessed by a debt collector.
“He said ‘I'm here to pick up the Patrol for Nissan finance as it hasn’t been paid for’,” she said.
“I was pretty upset… I just froze.”
Conway lost the vehicle and around $1000 in on-road costs.
“It's not fair... It's just heartbreaking,” she told the ABC.
Now Victoria Police is investigating the case and has issued a statement confirming “The information is currently being assessed and further enquires are being made to see if any criminal offence has occurred.”
Queensland’s gambling regulator, the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, has also confirmed it is now investigating the company.
As more and more enterprises get into the lottery game via appealing new car give-aways and more reports of concerning behaviour emerge, expect to see more scrutiny from the authorities going forward.
If you or someone you know is concerned about a lottery, follow the ACCC’s advice and check the lottery permit numbers. Prize winners should request all the relevant legal paperwork as well.
And whether you win a new car as a prize or want to purchase a used car, you can check whether it’s under finance or has been written-off or stolen via the federal government’s Personal Properties Security Register website.
Or use RedBook Inspect to find the same information and book a pre-purchase inspection.
For everything you auto know about EVs, listen to carsales' Watts Under the Bonnet: the electric car podcast
Join the conversation at
Or email us at
Or email us at
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
