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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.
Read More Scam Alert – Loyalty Points Program Customers Targeted
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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.
Read More Record penalties of $438m ordered against Phoenix Institute and CTI for acting unconscionably and misleading students
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“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.”
Read More Record Number of Financial Complaints for Second Year in a Row
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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.
Read More 9 Out of 10 People Have Encountered a Scam in the Last 12 Months
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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.
Read More CFA Chair Gerard Brody Wins Law Council’s Consumer Rights Award
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ASIC has been successful in its action against Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHF Solutions), with the Federal Court finding that both companies engaged in credit activities without holding an Australian credit licence. ASIC also obtained permanent injunctions against Cigno and BHF Solutions to protect consumers.
The decision follows a series of appeals during the litigation, including an unsuccessful bid by Cigno and BHF Solutions to seek special leave in the High Court in December 2022 (22-360MR).
Read More Cigno, BHF Solutions Found to Have Engaged in Unlicensed Conduct
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The ACCC has granted interim authorisation for the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and electricity industry participants in the National Electricity Market to collaborate to ensure reliability of electricity supply during Australia’s transition towards renewable electricity.
Read More Interim Authorisation for Electricity Industry to Coordinate Maintenance
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Almost exactly a year after their article on Kmart, Bunnings, and the Good Guys’ use of facial recognition technology (FRT) in stores across Australia, CHOICE has released another article on the use of FRTs in a number of major stadiums across Australia.
Read More Facial Recognition Technology in Use at Major Australian Stadiums
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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is calling on consumers, businesses and interested stakeholders to provide submissions about data broker services in Australia, as part of its five-year digital platform services inquiry.
Read More ACCC Inquiry Invites Views on Data Broker Industry
Childcare Infographic
Original media release from the ACCC, published 5/07/2023. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has examined the price and availability of childcare services, how households select childcare services and the impact of Government contributions in its interim report, published today. It draws on information collected from a range of childcare providers around Australia as well…
Read More Pricing Practices and Operating Costs of Childcare Services to be examined, as Latest ACCC Report Confirms Fees Outpace Inflation
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The Better Banking for Indigenous Consumers Project reviewed target market determinations (TMDs) for both high-fee and low-fee ‘basic’ accounts offered by some of Australia’s major and regional banks. ASIC issued notices to those banks requiring data on fees charged to consumers in locations with higher-than-average proportions of Indigenous people and for customers in receipt of AbStudy payments.
The review found that many Indigenous consumers identified in the data were in high fee accounts paying high fees, despite being eligible for a low-fee ‘basic’ account.
Read More ASIC Acts to Ensure Better Banking Outcomes for Indigenous Consumers
2023 Consumer Advocacy Award winners
At the 2023 ACCC National Consumer Congress, the Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) was proud to present our Consumer Advocacy Award for the best consumer advocacy campaign or project of the past year. The nominees this year were all strong contenders.
Read More Save Sorry Business Campaign and Stop the Debt Trap Alliance Win CFA’s 2023 Consumer Advocacy Award
