News archives

 

• Persuaded by TV ads to buy a cheap phone? Beware
  
  

• Find your 'unclaimed money' for free ASIC website
  
  
• Disturbing cyber security loophole found in Australian schools Media report
  
  

• Robo-call scams
• Investigation finds telemarketers pressuring consumers to sign up to NBN

 

• Robocall Scam about disconnection of your landline and internet service
• Thousands of dollars have been drained from bank accounts by fraudsters who steal mobile phone numbers — sometimes from social media.
  The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) reports that consumers have had their bank accounts and email inboxes accessed after their numbers were stolen. A report released by the Ombudsman on 5 February 2019 showed that fraudsters steal a consumer’s mobile number by convincing the mobile service provider to switch the number to a new SIM card in the fraudster’s possession (known as 'SIM swaps'). Once a fraudster has access to a consumer’s mobile number they can use it to access the consumer’s bank account, emails, and other online accounts. One consumer said a fraudster hacked his bank profile and “drained his bank accounts of tens of thousands of dollars” and he was left without a mobile phone service for days. Another woman had $9,000 taken from her bank account. More on the TIO website

 

• Australian Consumer Law (ACL) amendments: The Treasury Laws Amendment (Gift Cards) Bill 2018 will set up a national scheme for the regulation of gift cards. It will require that: gift cards and vouchers have a minimum three year expiry period; post purchase fees are banned; the expiry date is prominently displayed on the gift card. The reforms are expected to apply to gift cards supplied from November 2019. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Australian Consumer Law Review) Bill 2018 strengthens and makes clearer consumer protections relating to consumer guarantees; unsolicited consumer agreements; product safety; false billing; unconscionable conduct; pricing and unfair contract terms. More

 

• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (from 1 November 2018)
• One Big Switch pays penalties over electricity discount and savings claims
  (ACCC website)

• What the Australian Privacy Foundation and others say about 'My Health Record'
• Ombudsman's report into Australia Post complaints
• Other recent Ombudsman reports on the ANZOA website
• Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, on why phone and internet companies should care about complaints

• ASIC's advice about crypocurrencies
• About the ACCC's compulsory recall of airbags extends the previous voluntary recall
• The ACCC recalls list
• Watch your nuts: Why you should avoid fast lenders
• CHOICE: Broadband comparison tool

• Ombudsman annual reports 2016-17

Commonwealth Ombudsman

NSW Ombudsman

Northern Territory Ombudsman

Ombudsman South Australia

Victorian Ombudsman

Ombudsman Western Australia

Financial Ombudsman Service

Credit & Investments Ombudsman

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria) (+ video summary)

Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW

Energy & Water Ombudsman Queensland

Public Transport Ombudsman Victoria

Energy & Water Ombudsman South Australia

• TIO rejigs to better handle NBN complaints (report in itnews)
• Generic medicines - you must still be informed and must be given a choice
  (Dispensing Practice Guidelines - July 2017, page 19)
• Takata airbag recalls (ACCC website)
• New Life Insurance Code of Practice (1 July 2017)
• Watch out for scammers pretending to be ASIC
• Six months of ASIC's 'Money-Smart' - July 2017 out now

• NSW: Smart meter installed, successfully challenged and removed after customer disputed opt-out installation  - reported in the Byron Shire Echo
• Solar panel scam - Hunt for the identity thief who cost scores of Australians their dream (as reported in the Melbourne Age)
• Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria

• Don't get scammed by a fake online store (ACCC)
• Health Complaints Commissioner for Victoria
• Energy Consumers Australia's second bi-annual survey of household and small business energy consumers.
• Ombudsman annual reports 2015-16

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Financial Ombudsman Service

Credit & Investments Ombudsman

Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)

Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW
Energy & Water Ombudsman South Australia

Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland

Public Transport Ombudsman Victoria
Commonwealth Ombudsman

NSW Ombudsman

Victorian Ombudsman

Ombudsman Northern Territory

Ombudsman South Australia

Ombudsman Tasmania

Ombudsman Western Australia

Public Transport Ombudsman Victoria

• Major consumer groups warn Prime Minister that a banking tribunal is not the right answer

• Got a complaint about your bank? There's an Ombudsman for that already.
• NSW Fair Trading publishes first Top 20 list of companies generating complaints
• Consumer advice delivered with a difference: check out 'The Checkout'
• Buying a car? boat? motor cycle? trailer? caravan? artworks? The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a national online (government) register that can provide information to help protect consumers when they are buying personal property such as cars, boats or artworks (not including land or buildings). If you check the PPSR before you buy, you can find out if the personal property you are buying has a security interest attached to it. This is important because if you buy property subject to a security interest, it is possible that the person or entity with the security interest will repossess it.

• Questions to ask before switching to solar
• ASIC targets financial services licensees using the term "independent"
• Think twice about using a debt management firm to represent you in dispute resolution
• Code of conduct for energy comparator sites
• CHOICE: Do salespeople understand consumer law?
• Since 1 January 2016 - Aged Care Complaints Commissioner
• Access to Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland for more small businesses, community groups
• Scam alert - bogus bill email from Simply Energy - don't open it
• New complaints video from the Victorian Ombudsman
• Protect yourself against data retention (Australian Privacy Foundation)

• 2015 annual reports from dispute resolution bodies

Ombudsman Northern Territory

Ombudsman Tasmania

Ombudsman South Australia

Commonwealth Ombudsman

Public Transport Ombudsman, Victoria

Financial Ombudsman Service

Energy and Water Ombudsman South Australia

Private Health Insurance Ombudsman

Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman

Victorian Ombudsman

Ombudsman Western Australia

Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria)

Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW

Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland

 

• TIO on new data retention requirements for telco providers

• ANZOA: Concerns about misuse of the name Ombudsman and proposed Australian small business ombudsman

• Complaints about the Australian Taxation Office - change from 1 May 2015

• Telecommunications complaints statistics: January to March 2015

• National Energy Customer Framework in Queensland from 1 July 2015

• Financial Ombudsman Service calls for financial compensation scheme

• Financial hardship complaints: the EWOV approach

• Complaining is important: Victorian Ombudsman
• Booking accommodation online? Watch for scammers

• 'Can I speak with a manager?' report from EWOV on customer service in energy and water

• Benchmarks for Industry-based Customer Dispute Resolution schemes - relaunched in February 2015 - now in two parts: Principles and Purposes / Key Practices

• ACCC's scam detection project: Detect - Disrupt - Disable
  Energy Consumers Australia up and running

• Dealing with debt collectors: Your rights and responsibilities (an ACCC / ASIC booklet)

• Credit & Investments Ombudsman increases its compensation limit

• ACCC report on comparator websites

• Telstra makes mobile calls to 1800 numbers free

• Money Smart: latest news from the financial services regulator