Online motor parts seller convicted for ripping off consumers
- Logan online motor parts seller Jason Murray and his former company J.P. & K.M. Murray Pty Ltd fined a total of $140,000 after pleading guilty to six breaches of Australian Consumer Law.
- Office of Fair Trading investigation found consumers paid almost $35,000 for goods and services not delivered.
- Mr Murray and the company were previously prosecuted and penalised for similar conduct in 2019 and 2021.
A Logan online motor parts seller who has repeatedly failed to supply reconditioned engines to consumers or refund their money has been convicted and fined in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court this week.
Jason Paul Murray was sentenced and fined $90,000 after being found guilty of six counts of wrongly accepting payment and failing to supply under Australian Consumer Law. Mr Murray was the sole director of his former company J.P & K.M. Murray Pty Ltd which was fined a further $50,000.
Convictions were recorded against both Mr Murray and his former company.
Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigators found that Mr Murray and his company received payments totalling almost $35,000 from six customers to supply reconditioned engines for their vehicles between February and December 2022.
Despite consumers paying deposits or in full, Mr Murray failed to supply the engines, giving a range of excuses from delays to freight, parts and labour issues, and personal illness and injury. Following today’s proceedings, Mr Murray must now pay $34,675 in compensation to the six consumers to cover the engines they paid for but did not receive.
The company, which traded as Brisbane Motor Imports from a Slacks Creek premises, went into voluntary liquidation on 9 March 2023.
The OFT previously jointly prosecuted Mr Murray and his former company in 2019 and 2021.
In April 2019, they were fined a total of $40,000 and the company ordered to pay consumers $20,000 and a nonparty redress order of $40,000 for six breaches of Australian Consumer Law.
After the OFT publicly named Mr Murray and the company in November 2019, additional complaints were received. This led to prosecution for a further eight breaches, and fines totalling $70,000, with the company ordered to repay $34,400 in compensation to the affected consumers. Following a spate of complaints, a public warning was issued in April 2024 to avoid dealing with Mr Murray and his new company, Japam Pty Ltd.
Craig Turner, Executive Director of the Office of Fair Trading, said the behaviour in the current matter indicated a complete disregard for consumers and the laws designed to protect them.
“The actions of the sole director and the company have had a serious impact on the lives of these consumers, resulting in significant financial and emotional distress,” Mr Turner said.
“They’ve lost money when their payments weren’t refunded, along with the inconvenience of being without their vehicles and the added stress of securing alternative transport.
“As the marketplace regulator, the Office of Fair Trading will continue to prosecute deceptive traders who breach the laws and warn the public about their illegal activities to help protect consumers.”
If you have not received goods or services that you paid for, and have not been able to resolve the issue with the trader, you can make a complaint to OFT at qld.gov.au/fairtrading