Victorians whose properties have been damaged by the 2026 bushfires have been urged to be wary of being scammed by fake tradespeople.

Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) has received numerous reports of bushfire victims paying for shoddy work or work that is not delivered, with some operators taking advantage of vulnerable people.

Homeowners should be wary of unexpected offers for repairs, 'today only' deals, upfront cash payments for work, or help to access government grants.

One homeowner whose house was damaged in the bushfires paid a fake tradie $6000, upfront, for work that was never completed.

In addition to fake tradies, so-called 'professionals' are targeting homeowners with claims they can get an increased insurance payout – in return for a large commission.

To protect yourself from scams, homeowners should always:

• ask for full names and registration or licence details, and double-check that tradespeople are legitimate

• seek more than one quote and use established tradespeople who provide written quotes

• ask for contact details of previous clients to check references

• be on the watch for red flags like today-only deals, refusals to provide a written quote, or payment being demanded upfront

Scams are a crime and scammers use clever tactics, and CAV urges the public to report fake tradies and other scams by phoning 1300 55 81 81 or visiting consumer.vic.gov.au