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Consumer Protection

Cold weather prompts warning to service gas heaters as house fires, poisoning linked to appliances

As households with gas heaters fire them up for winter, tradies and firefighters fear many do not understand the safety risks they pose if not properly maintained.
A man wearing a fluro top and cap holding the cover of a gas heater

Senate committee recommends major overhaul for corporate watchdog, splitting ASIC into two new regulators

Australia's corporate watchdog, ASIC, isn't prosecuting enough white-collar crime and can't perform its full range of duties, so a Senate committee has recommended it split into two new, more streamlined regulators.
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ASIC sign

In the makeup world, there's a fine line between duping and being sued. MCoBeauty found out the hard way

Australian cosmetics company MCoBeauty has become a multi-million-dollar business by "duping" popular beauty products. But its success hasn't been without controversy, after pushing the boundaries of the law too far in the past.
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A woman with short blonde hair looks off to the side standing in front of a pink cosmetics display.

Planning to shop the end of financial year sales? Watch out for this scam

The end of the financial year is a great time for shoppers looking to bag a bargain. But scammers also tend to take advantage of the period. Here's what to look out for. 
An Australia post parcel from a compounding pharmacy on a table.

Spike in scams targeting remote communities ahead of tax time

Financial counsellors and community leaders warn residents in remote communities in Western Australia to remain vigilant of a rise in scams ahead of tax time. 
A woman holds up a hand-painted sign saying Stop giving details.

As evidence builds of strata managers exploiting apartment owners, NSW promises tougher penalties for 'bad behaviour'

The NSW government pledges to "stamp out bad behaviour" and strengthen oversight of the state's strata management industry in the wake of an ongoing ABC investigation that has revealed the systemic exploitation of unit owners and a widespread culture of kickbacks and secret commissions.
the exterior of a white apartment building

The grocery code of conduct overhaul could mean good things for suppliers. What about Aussies at the check-out?

Consumers might not feel the effects of a mandatory grocery conduct overhaul, a peak consumer policy body says. 
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Close up of shopping trolley in supermarket aisle

Investigators have laid out how hackers claim they stole Ticketmaster data. Will they go to jail?

Only one person from the nefarious hacking syndicate responsible for Ticketmaster's data breach has ever been convicted for cyber crime. What are the chances anyone goes to jail over this latest hack?
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A mock up of the live nation and ticketmaster logos on a phone

How do I fight a rental increase from my landlord?

If you're renting, you'll know that rental increases are a fact of life. But you do have options if you think your landlord (or their agent) is asking for too much.
A woman with a green top sits at a desk with paperwork and phone, her hair is over her face and hand on the side of head.

Aldi stores 25pc cheaper than Coles, Woolworths, Choice report finds

Basic grocery items are 25 per cent cheaper at Aldi when compared with Coles and Woolworths, a new report from Choice has found.
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A black shopping basket sitting on a kitchen bench that contains bread, mince, carrots, apples and milk.

Think you've been overcharged for electricity? Here's what to do if your bill doesn't look right

A higher-than-expected bill is enough to give most people a sinking feeling — especially if you don't think it's fair. Here's a breakdown of your rights and how to dispute a bill.
Hands holding a power bill

analysis:Why pharmacies could be teetering on an 'Uber' moment

The ACCC is wary about the proposed merger of Chemist Warehouse and Sigma Healthcare. But other decisions will matter more for service and prices. They concern pharmacy discounting and location rules, and they'll involve taking on existing owners.  
Signage on a shop front with a red house silhouette that reads Chemist Warehouse.

Thousands of people are being funnelled into a multi-level marketing scheme promising 'financial freedom', but there's a cost

Women in regional Australia are being funnelled into a multi-level marketing scheme promising a "multiple-six-figure business online" — but the "freedom" they seek comes at a cost.
Kylie dancing with a graphic saying 'how much money my online business made in a week'.

Inside a secret scam factory where workers pretend to be glamorous models

In the Dubai desert lies a scam factory capable of swindling tens of thousands of people at a time. But one scammer has a secret plan that could shut the whole syndicate down. 
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Model pic sent to scam victims

'Feels a bit like an invasion of privacy': Australians react to Meta's use of posts to train AI

If you're among the majority of Australians with Facebook or Instagram accounts, your social activity on those platforms might be training Meta's artificial intelligence (AI) tools — and if you live in Australia, you can't say no.
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FACEBOOK GENERIC PHOTO

Red flags to look out for when signing rental lease agreements

With standardised contracts, signing a lease doesn't need to be as stressful as the search for a rental property. Experts share the red flags to look out for to ensure you're getting the real deal.
A for lease sign in front of a house

Users of buy now, pay later services to undergo credit checks under proposed new law

Buy now, pay later providers such as Afterpay and Zip may soon have to hold credit licences and ensure their customers can afford their services under new regulations introduced by the federal government.
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A person holds an iPhone in their right hand showing an Afterpay balance in a shopping centre with escalators in the background.

'You don't need that dress, you need a hug': Mythbusting the fast-fashion industry

During the pandemic, Aja Barber began questioning how the price of clothing had gone down within her lifetime while everything else was going up. The conclusions made her uncomfortable.
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Black woman wearing a bright green turtle neck knitted jumper

'Don't go into it blind': Small business owners like George are in turmoil after taking on loans they can't afford

More small business owners are falling prey to online "predatory" lenders offering them quick cash. Some business owners are in such extreme financial strife that they have been forced to sell their family home.
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a man sits in an office with truck pieces on the floor

Fake billing is the latest scam. Millions of dollars have been lost

While Australians appear to be getting better at avoiding scams, with total losses trending down according to the ACCC, there's an emerging scam which is defying the trend.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 7 minutes 9 seconds

Australians are still losing millions to this type of scam. Meng lost $80,000 and wants banks to do more

False documentation might be one of the oldest scams in the book but scammers are now able to fake being a company more easily — and Australians are falling for it.
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A composite image of Meng Wong standing outside of Suncorp bank, and a bank invoice for 80 thousand dollars.

Pizza Hut fined $2.5 million for spamming customers with 10 million messages in four months

Pizza Hut sent almost six million messages to people who had not consented and more than four million without the option to unsubscribe. 
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pizza hut

From face-swapping to chatbots — here's how South-East Asia's scammers are using AI tools

AI tools such as face-swapping and chatbots are being used by South-East Asia's crime syndicates to make their scams more efficient and effective. However, some operations appear to be having less success with the new tech than others.
A composite of two faces from a face-swap demonstration video. 

US airlines will be forced to offer cash refunds for cancelled flights. Could Australia soon follow?

Airlines in the United States will soon be held to clear and consistent standards on flight cancellations, delays or unexpected changes to a passenger's travel plans. So what lessons could these new rules hold for Australia?
A woman with brown hair points angrily at a board displaying flights as she speaks to another woman.

Suzie was 'floored' when her mobile provider kept trying to increase the price of her fixed-term phone contract

Consumers are being further squeezed by expensive phone bills as Australia's biggest telcos hike prices in response to inflation and rising operational costs.
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A woman who holds a stack of papers in an office.