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The National Anti-Scam Centre is warning consumers and small businesses to be wary of unsolicited calls, emails or messages requesting they download a software patch or provide remote access to fix or protect their computer from the CrowdStrike/Microsoft outage. Downloading unsolicited software can give scammers access to your computer, including your bank accounts. Consumers should…
Read More NASC Warns of Increased Scam Risks
At the 2024 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: 1. Fair Call, direct regulation for telcos – formed from a coalition of consumer advocates…
Read More Design to Disrupt and Weathering the Storm Awarded the 2024 Consumer Advocacy Award
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Banks victim-shaming approach ‘immoral’- Tonkin New polling by Essential Media is unequivocal: the vast majority (75%) of Australians expect banks to keep their money safe from criminal scammers, and if they fail, to return it to their accounts. Australians lost a massive $2.74 billion to scammers in 2023, that’s hundreds of dollars for every household in our country…
Read More Banks Victim Shaming Approach ‘immoral’ and Out of Touch with Community Expectations
The National Anti-Scam Centre is urging Australians who have had money stolen by scammers to be wary of offers to recover their money for an upfront fee. Reports that involve a money recovery element are on the rise. Between December 2023 and May 2024, Scamwatch received 158 reports with total losses of over $2.9 million,…
Read More Previous Scam Victims Now Being Targeted by Financial Recovery Scams
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The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) says action is needed to give consumers as well as suppliers a fairer go when dealing with supermarkets. QCA spokesperson Ian Jarratt says the Federal Government’s decision to change the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct to help farmers and other suppliers in their dealings s with large supermarkets, highlights…
Read More Consumers Want a Fair Go for Supermarket Shoppers Too
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The ACCC response to the latest draft of the Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code validates long-held consumer concerns about the suitability of self-regulation to protect telecommunications consumers. The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) welcomes and supports the comments of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on the May 20 draft of the TCP…
Read More Advocates Argue for Direct Regulation of Communication as an Essential Service
Fraud Alert
Super Consumers Australia welcomes the Financial Service Council’s Scam Mitigation Standard, but more work needed from Federal Government to fight scams in super
Read More Australians Expect Super Funds to Work Hard Against Scams and Fraud
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The ACCC has accepted undertakings from Telstra and Optus as part of the ACCC’s ongoing competition investigation into Google’s search services in Australia. During the investigation into Google’s conduct, the ACCC became aware of agreements that Google had initiated and entered into with Telstra and Optus, which meant Google’s search services were pre-installed as the…
Read More Telstra and Optus Cooperate with ACCC Google Search Services Investigation
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The ACMA has today released a Statement of Expectations on the use of consumer consent to provide guidance to businesses that undertake email, SMS, and telephone marketing. The Statement sets out steps for businesses to ensure they have consumer consent before conducting telemarketing and e-marketing. It is an outcome-focused guide to better practice – designed to…
Read More Consent expectations for businesses using direct marketing
Gerard Brody, Chair, Consumers' Federation of Australia: "There's a real value to consumer organisations. As consumer advocates, we see what's going on and we're able to present to government not only the problems, but also the experience, the insights, the connections and the research to help them with solutions."
False information, widespread political change, budgetary cuts. These are just some of mounting issues facing civil society in 2024 at a time when the role they play is needed more than ever. Next week, Consumers International joins discussions at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) to discuss the role of consumer organisations, the value…
Read More Consumers International Speaks With Intergovernmental Group of Experts for Consumer Protection Law and Policy
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A new independent report released by the Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research at the University of Melbourne reveals that just over 35 percent of Australians have a concession card, yet only one third of them are aware they may be eligible for energy concessions on their bills. The report surveyed 3187 respondents, 1154…
Read More Majority of Concessioners Not Aware of Energy Bill Concessions
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The Albanese Government will strengthen the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, accepting all recommendations of a recent independent review into the Code as part of a wide?ranging cost?of?living crackdown on anti?competitive behaviour in the food and grocery sector. This is about getting a fair go for families and a fair go for farmers. Our…
Read More Government Accepts All Recommendations to Strengthen Food and Grocery Code