Consumers' Federation of Australia

1 August , 2023

Meta Companies Penalised $20m for Onavo Protect VPN’s Misleading Claims

Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are a method by which people can more securely use and access public internet connections, reduce some communication costs, and bypass internet censorship. The privacy and protection of personal information is an important selling point of VPNs and one that was used to sell Onavo Protect in the Google and…

31 July , 2023

Scam Alert – Loyalty Points Program Customers Targeted

The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) is warning of a new text-based scam targeting loyalty program customers with Qantas Frequent Flyer, Telstra, and Coles. This warning comes after a little over 200 were lodged with Scamwatch in the last four months.

31 July , 2023

Record penalties of $438m ordered against Phoenix Institute and CTI for acting unconscionably and misleading students

The Federal Court has today imposed record penalties of $438m against former vocational college Phoenix Institute of Australia Pty Ltd (Phoenix) and its marketing arm Community Training Initiatives Pty Ltd (CTI) in proceedings brought by the ACCC and the Commonwealth.

31 July , 2023

Water, Buildings, and Restoration: Beware of Mould

In recent times there have been significant storms and flooding in Australia with a serious impact on dwellings and communities. When carrying out flood repairs to a building, after prioritising health and safety, there are precautions to be taken, and consumers should be aware of the serious impact of mould and other effects of exposure…

28 July , 2023

Record Number of Financial Complaints for Second Year in a Row

“We are deeply concerned by the volume of complaints consumers are having to escalate to AFCA,” chief ombudsman David Locke says. “It’s not fair on consumers and not good for business. We need to see a significant improvement from firms.”

25 July , 2023

9 Out of 10 People Have Encountered a Scam in the Last 12 Months

New research from CHOICE has revealed 9 in 10 people suspect they have encountered at least one scam in the past 12 months, with over half of respondents encountering a suspected scam every week.

“Scams are increasing rapidly throughout Australia, often creating significant distress and financial hardship for victims. New technological advances mean scams are also becoming more difficult to identify. Our research found 88% of people say scams have become more sophisticated or harder to spot recently,” says CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland.

21 July , 2023

CFA Chair Gerard Brody Wins Law Council’s Consumer Rights Award

Gerard Brody, Chair of CFA, is the winner of the Consumer Rights Award 2023 made annually by the Australian Consumer Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia’s Legal Practice Section.

The Award is conferred upon an individual who champions the rights of consumers in the promotion of consumer protection law in Australia. It recognises the range of skills, interests and contributions of those committed to the development and implementation of the law and practices in this field.

21 July , 2023

CFA Accepts Uluru Statement from the Heart

Consumers’ Federation of Australia accepts the invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk with our First Nations’ peoples to ensure a better future for all Australians. We see the Statement as being a generous invitation arrived at through the extensive Dialogues process, allowing us to unite a genuine process of reconciliation.

21 July , 2023

CGC Thematic Inquiry into Better Claims Decisions

The General Insurance Code Governance Committee (CGC) has just released a report, Thematic Inquiry into Making Better Claims Decisions, analysing instances from six insurance providers (who subscribe to the General Insurance Code of Practice) where initially denied claims were later accepted after an Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process.

20 July , 2023

Buy Now Pay Later – Debt Traps and Essentials

Financial Counselling Australia’s latest report, ‘Small Loans, Big Problems’, has highlighted once more the need for urgent reform to the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), especially with the continued cost of living crisis and with many still feeling the impact of the 2022 floods.

20 July , 2023

Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Anyone can get involved, and you can start out small or really challenge yourself – find out what you can do by clicking here and visiting the Plastic Free July website.

20 July , 2023

Registration Open for 2023 Consumers International Global Congress

Registrations have now opened for Consumers International’s (CI) 2023 Global Congress, this year held on 6th-8th December in Nairobi, Kenya.

This years congress is built around the theme ‘Consumers Together – Building a Resilient Future’.