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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, as one of the agencies responsible for the National Indigenous Consumer Strategy (NICS), urges Indigenous consumers to be wary of scams, including anyone calling them out of the blue asking for personal details or offering investment opportunities. As part of National Scams Awareness Week, which began on 17 August…
Read More ASIC warns Indigenous consumers about scams
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Superannuation trustees that were classifying new members as ‘smokers’ by default and charging them higher life insurance premiums have ceased this practice, and some trustees have remediated members for the extra premiums paid. Between 2017 to 2020, ASIC engaged with seven superannuation businesses, (comprising nine superannuation trustees) that had been, either at the time or…
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ASIC has seen a rise in the number of investment scam reports from Australian consumers and investors during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Reports of misconduct received by ASIC from March to May 2020 are up 20% compared to the same period last year. ASIC Executive Director for Assessment and Intelligence Warren Day said economic uncertainty…
Read More Rise in investment scams during COVID-19 pandemic
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ASIC warns consumers about investment advertising that compares fixed-term investment products to bank term deposits. A surge in such marketing of fixed-term investment products in recent months has prompted ASIC to caution consumers to take care making investment decisions based on such advertising. ASIC is monitoring such advertising and the entities involved because of reports…
Read More ASIC warns consumers: Investment advertising is not always ‘true to label’
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ASIC has written a letter to the real estate institutes in each state outlining concerns about some real estate agents who are advising tenants to apply for early release of their superannuation. AISC warns that such conduct by real estate agents may be in contravention of the Corporations Act as it may may constitute unlicensed…
Read More ASIC warns of unlicensed financial advice by real estate agents to tenants
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ASIC has released an update on its work in the six-month period from September 2019 to February 2020, including its response to the referrals and recommendations of the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (the Royal Commission). It follows previous updates on ASIC’s response to the Royal Commission’s recommendations…
Read More ASIC releases update on its enforcement and regulatory work
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ASIC has today started a four week consultation on draft guidance about the new best interests duty for mortgage brokers. The new obligations were legislated by the Parliament in response to Recommendation 1.2 of the Royal Commission. From 1 July, the obligations will require mortgage brokers to act in the best interests of consumers and to…
Read More ASIC consults on draft guidance on the new best interests duty for mortgage brokers
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ASIC has released the findings from its recent review of superannuation trustees’ communications with their members about changes introduced through the Treasury Laws Amendment (Protecting Your Superannuation Package) Act 2019 (PYSP). The PYSP reforms were introduced to protect the superannuation savings of Australians from erosion due to inappropriate fees and insurance premiums as well as to reduce unintended…
Read More ASIC releases report reviewing trustees’ PYSP communications
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Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights) say ASIC’s overhaul of its responsible lending guidance is a welcome announcement in the wake of the devastating consumer harm exposed during the Banking Royal Commission. Too many lenders, including banks, finance companies, payday lenders, and consumer lease providers have not effectively complied with legal obligations to ensure they do not provide borrowers with unsuitable loans. ASIC’s updated responsible lending guidance make existing laws clearer, easier to enforce and will help to hold…
Read More ASIC’s overhaul of responsible lending guidance should focus lenders on the welfare of borrowers
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ASIC has warned Australian investors considering establishing their own self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) to be particularly aware of the potential downside to such a strategy, and that many Australians set up SMSFs that are inappropriate for their circumstances. ASIC has identified eight ‘red flag’ situations which, together or in part, would make it extremely unlikely…
Read More ASIC urges consumers to question whether SMSFs are right for them
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Consumer advocate CHOICE welcomes ASIC’s announcement today that the regulator proposes to use its new Product Intervention Powers to ban harmful investment products. “Binary options and contracts for difference are glorified gambling dressed up by financial licensees as a safe investment. With over four in five investors losing money from binary options investments, it’s clear…
Read More CHOICE welcomes the proposed ASIC ban on risky investment products
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Financial Rights Legal Centre (Financial Rights), Consumer Action Law Centre (Consumer Action) and Financial Counselling Australia (FCA) have welcomed the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC’s) announcement that it will consult on using new Product Intervention Powers to intervene in the short term credit industry. The new product intervention power allows ASIC to intervene where…
Read More Consumer advocates welcome ASIC intervention in Short Term Credit Market