As part of the 2023 Global Congress, Consumers International and members have launched a Global Statement to Stop Online Scams. As a member of Consumers International and as a consumer advocacy organisation, the Consumers’ Federation of Australia strongly supports this call to stop online scams.
As Australia’s representative to Consumers International, CHOICE is a signature to the global statement and has issued a media release and a petition page about and in support of the global statement.
The statement (available as a PDF here), calls for Governments to step up and require that various platforms take effective action against scams with a focus on:
- Preventative Measures
- Disruption and Detection Strategies
- Appropriate Response and Support
The statement is based on information from, amongst others, the Global Anti-Scam Alliance’s ‘The Global State of Scams Report (2023)‘ and draws attention to the global lack of consumer protection laws for online matters and the emotional and psychological harm scams can cause, referencing a study by Which? in the United Kingdom on the psychology of scams.
CFA welcomes this statement as an important step in ensuring comprehensive global consumer protection from scams.