Many consumers don’t have the time or patience to read the long lists of terms and conditions that often accompany the products and services they buy, but at least they can take comfort knowing they will soon be better-protected if any of those contracts are not fair.
That’s because the Australian Consumer Law has recently been amended to introduce penalties for businesses that present contracts containing unfair terms.
Western Australian seniors are being targeted by scammers through a fake WA Seniors Card website requesting money and multiple forms of personal identification.
Everyone has the right to privacy in their own homes, and those living in rental properties across Western Australia are certainly no exception.
Claims of private landlords and property managers arriving unannounced for inspections, maintenance and rent collection are fairly common issues reported to Consumer Protection – in the past two years, our team has fielded 177 enquiries and 36 complaints from tenants on this front.
Western Australians who have made financial donations to charities in the last 10 years or more are being urged to beware of scams following reports of a major data breach of a telemarketing company holding donor information from Australian charity organisations.
Many shoppers like to ‘tap-and-go’ when paying for purchases, while others like to hand-over cash, but one thing all consumers have in common is the right to receive a receipt if they want one.
Consumer Protection was concerned recently to hear claims that a retailer in WA had denied a consumer’s request for a paper receipt, citing ‘company policy’ and pointing them to their own bank statement for proof of purchase.
The search is on for outstanding individuals, organisations, groups and the media who advocate for and promote consumer rights in WA, with nominations open for the prestigious 20th anniversary Consumer Protection Awards.
Word of mouth recommendations in the real-world can be a useful tool when deciding which product or service to buy, however the same can’t always be said when seeking out this type of guidance online.
Nearly 40 per cent of consumers turn to the internet to read user reviews as part of their research, according to an investigation by consumer advocacy group CHOICE, but it may not be immediately obvious whether the experience you’re reading about belongs to a genuine customer or has been written by the business itself, a disgruntled ex-employee or even a competitor.
Consumer Protection has raised the alarm over a business that supplies and builds patios, carports, garages and sheds, after 60 WA consumers lodged complaints claiming goods and services were not supplied, or the work not carried out in a reasonable time.
Rising rents and a lack of available homes have prompted many Western Australians to seek out share houses as a way of keeping a roof over their heads at a price they can afford.
WA ScamNet has seen an increase in reports of scams affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Western Australia (WA) since 2019. In the last 12 months, 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples reported losses of $161,772 to scams to ScamNet.
