The Federal Court has ordered Optus pay a $10 million penalty for its treatment of customers who unknowingly purchased games, ringtones and other digital content through its third-party billing service, following action by the ACCC. ACCC chair Rod Sims said that the $10 million penalty is one of the highest imposed by the Court after…
Tag Archive for ACCC
ACCC Warns Beware of Charity Scams
by themovieboards - Editor •
Scammers are increasingly using fake charities or impersonating real charities to take advantage of people’s generosity and compassion, with losses reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch increasing steadily over the past four years. This week is Charity Fraud Awareness Week and Scamwatch is warning people to watch out for fake charities and offering some quick and…
Beware of Celebrity Endorsement Scams
by themovieboards - Editor •
People are increasingly being caught out by celebrity endorsement scams, with reports to Scamwatch increasing 400 per cent and losses increasing a staggering 3,800 per cent so far in 2018. These scams often appear as online advertisements or promotional stories on social media or a seemingly legitimate, trustworthy website. They include fictitious quotes and doctored…
NRL & AFL Fix Returns and Refunds Policy
by themovieboards - Editor •
Twenty-one Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) clubs have made changes to their returns and refunds policies in relation to merchandise sales following an investigation by the ACCC. “The changes made by the AFL and NRL clubs in question follow a review of returns and refunds policies of various professional sporting clubs…
ACCC Wins Appeal Against Yazaki Corporation
by themovieboards - Editor •
The Full Federal Court has today ordered Japanese company Yazaki Corporation (Yazaki) to pay increased penalties of $46 million for cartel conduct, following an appeal by the ACCC. This is the highest penalty ever handed down under the Competition and Consumer Act (2010). The trial judge had earlier found that Yazaki had engaged in anti-competitive…
ICA authorised to collectively bargain with film distributors
by themovieboards - Editor •
The ACCC has authorised Independent Cinemas Australia (ICA), and its current and future independent cinema members, to share information and collectively bargain with film distributors on the terms and conditions of film licensing agreements. “Authorisation is likely to benefit the public as it should reduce negotiation costs for independent cinemas and distributors who participate,” ACCC…
Watch out Love Scammers on Valentine’s Day
by themovieboards - Editor •
The ACCC is warning people to be careful about who they ‘friend’ online this Valentine’s Day with stats showing people are most likely to be preyed upon by dating and romance scammers on social media sites. “Social media has overtaken online dating sites as the most common way for dating and romance scammers to contact…
Remember Remember Your Furniture Safety
by themovieboards - Editor •
The ACCC is co-leading an international safety campaign urging parents and carers to anchor unstable furniture and large TVs to the wall to prevent infant deaths and serious injuries. The consumer watchdog is joining the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and 18 other regulators from around the world in alerting consumers to the…
Beware of High Risk Investment Scams
by themovieboards - Editor •
The ACCC is warning the community to watch out for investment scammers who promise the world but leave their victims with broken dreams and empty bank accounts. “In the first half of 2017, Australians have reported losing over $13 million to investment scams to the ACCC’s Scamwatch website, making it the most profitable of all…
20,000 Shoppers Complain to Australian Competition and Consumer Comission
by themovieboards - Editor •
More than 20,000 shoppers complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about consumer guarantees in 2016, with more than a quarter reporting problems returning electronics and whitegoods to retailers. As the Christmas period ends and Boxing Day sales wind down, the ACCC is reminding shoppers they have automatic guarantee rights that a product will…