Video transcript: Unauthorised advertising scam – Stevie’s ScamSchool
Title: Welcome to Stevie’s ScamSchool
Description: A dodgy man dressed in 1970s style attire walks on screen. He is in a 1970s office with print patterned carpets. He raises his arms to introduce a title on screen that says‘Welcome to Stevie’s ScamSchool.’
Music: Solo, keyboard music playing in the background.
Voice over sings: Welcome to my school. Stevie’s ScamSchool. Yeah, great.
Description: Stevie walks to a wall with many framed certificates. A close up of one of the framed certificates show that Stevie has been awarded as a ‘Reformed Scam Artist’.
Voice over: Hello. My name is Stevie, the reformed scam artist, and I’m here to teach you how to avoid being scammed.
Description: Stevie walks to a blackboard. A close up of the blackboard displays the title ‘the advertising scam’.
Voice over: On with today’s lesson, I like to call this one ‘the advertising scam’. Now, listen up, this is how it works.
Description: Stevie walks to a fax machine on a table. A fax invoice is received from ‘Dodgy Pages’.
Voice over: You receive an invoice by email, letter or fax, requesting money for an advertisementthat your business supposedly placed in a directory.Here’s the clever part: sometimes it’s a directory we make up (chuckles).
Description: Stevie walks to an accounts department where a lady is busy typing away on her computer.
Voice over: But because the small business like yours is so busy, you pay the bogus invoice! No questions! (chuckles).Oh boy!Poor folk! Look. To be honest, it’s real easy to catch out these sneaky scammers out.
Description: Stevie walks to a blackboard.The blackboard displays tips to avoid being scammed.
Voice over: Always be suspicious of an invoice screaming ‘Free Advertising Trial’. Also, check your records to see that the advertisement was actually booked. It’s that easy!
Description: Stevie walks to a blackboard.The blackboard displays tactics.
Voice over: You too can be like me: agile and vigilant, and ….um Handsome! (chuckles)
Description: Text displayed – ‘Protect your business’, ‘Don’t be scammed’, ‘Find out how'
Music: Solo, keyboard music playing in the background.
Description: Find out how: consumer.vic.gov.au/scamschool Consumer Victoria Affairs and statement government logos.
Music: Solo, keyboard music playing in the background.
Voice over sings: Stevie’s ScamSchool. Yeah! Nice!