Commissioner's Blog: Unknown subscriptions costing you? Check the fine print!

Have you ever checked your bank account and noticed payment after payment taken out for a subscription you thought you cancelled, or didn’t even know you had?

 

Turns out some subscriptions might not be as easy to cancel as you originally thought, and you might be caught in a subscription trap.

 

Subscription trapping is a tactic known as a “dark pattern”, where you are manipulated or tricked into spending more than planned – just like with subscriptions that are easy to sign up to but hard to get out of.

 

Odometer tampering – what to look out for

Odometer tampering is a dangerous practice that puts the community at risk while lining the pockets of those who engage in it. And it’s at the expense of the consumers they are ripping off.

Consumer Protection recently had a win in the Courts against a couple of mates who rolled back the odometers on two vehicles by more than 200,000 kilometres each. What’s especially shocking is one of the men is a licensed motor vehicle salesperson.

Associations and Co-operatives Bill goes to Parliament

  • Reforms for associations and co-operatives introduced
  • Electronic meetings to be allowed unless rules state otherwise
  • New powers for Commissioner on winding-up and cancellation of associations

The Cook Government has introduced a Bill into State Parliament that will modernise and streamline how incorporated associations and co-operatives conduct their affairs in Western Australia.

Families urged to put safety first at Perth Royal Show

  • Plea for parents to be on alert for unsafe toys and prizes
  • Product Safety inspectors will be on the ground checking showbags and stalls
  • Almost one-third of items checked last year were non-compliant

 

The Perth Royal Show promises fun for all ages, but Consumer Protection is reminding parents to keep their eyes peeled for potential hazards that could be lurking in novelty toys and prizes.

 

Commissioner's Blog: How can something so tiny kill in a matter of hours?

These days, stimulating toys are all about interactivity, lights, and movement. To activate, a button sized battery generally needs to be inserted, but if swallowed by a child has the power to cause severe injury in less than two hours and can even kill.

 

Button batteries are a small power source used not just for toys but for an increasing number of common household items such as remote controls, watches, clocks, and hearing aids.

 

Aircon and trailer tradie fined $30,000 for conduct ‘akin to fraud’

  • Trader took deposits for aircon and custom-trailers but never did the work
  • Fined $30,000 and ordered to compensate his victims
  • Prosecution follows two earlier public warnings by Consumer Protection

A Perth man who took money for air conditioning and custom trailer work but failed to deliver has been fined $30,000 and ordered to compensate his victims.

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