Banking and Finance - Consumer Action Law Centre

ASIC’s strong action against discredited loan-shark Cigno, BSF Solutions and its directors applauded

Consumer Action Law Centre and Financial Counselling Australia say they hope the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) court action announced today against Cigno and BSF Solutions a...

In this cost-of-living crisis Telstra can do much better on hardship support

The vast majority of Telstra customers will pay $5 per month more on their internet bills following price increases announced this week. Consumer Action Law Centre CEO Stephanie Tonkin said a growi...

AFCA’s responsible lending approach consultation

This submission is made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Financial Rights Legal Centre • Consumer Credit Legal Service (CCLS) • Financial Counselling Australia. Supporting and rep...

Response to consultation paper 371 – Product intervention orders in credit

This is a joint submission made on behalf of Consumer Action Law Centre, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Financial Counselling Australia, Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network, WEstjustice, The Salvat...

Australian Banking Association application for authorisation AA1000645

Consumer Action, Financial Rights and CHOICE are calling on the banking industry to do more to prevent scams, as increasing losses are having a devastating impact on individuals and the Australian eco...

Financial services legislation inquiry – Interim Report C

Consumer Action Law Centre, Consumers' Federation of Australia and Financial Rights Legal Centre have provided feedback on the proposals in the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) Interim Repor...

Complaints about financial firms to AFCA skyrocket as thousands of Australians left behind

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has revealed that consumers in dispute with financial firms lodged a record 96,987 complaints in the past 12 months, an unprecedented rise of 34 pe...

Good news: Predatory lenders Cigno and BHF won’t escape justice

The success of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) in its Federal Court action against Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHF Solutions), is good news which we hop...

OPINION: Scammers raid Australians’ accounts while banks hands-off approach stings

Tania Clarke, Acting CEO Consumer Action Law Centre Last year bank customers in the UK experienced a 17% drop in scam losses while in Australia, bank customers experienced a 62% increase. Between...

Australian scam victims left behind as UK puts responsibility on banks to reimburse customers

In a world first, the UK Parliament this week passed legislation that will protect banking customers from the losses they experience as a direct result of being tricked by scammers. British banks a...

NAB customers on notice that using NAB bank accounts as a tool of financial abuse will not be tolerated

Consumer Action Acting CEO Tania Clarke has welcomed the announcement today by National Australia Bank (NAB) updating its terms and conditions (T&Cs) that puts NAB customers, who use NAB accounts...

AFCA Rules and Operational Guidelines – Proposed Amendments

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the proposed amendments to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s (AFCA) complaint resolution scheme rules (Rules) and Operational Guidelines (Guid...

“Protect people from harm”: Consumer groups respond to BNPL reform announcement

Consumer groups and financial counsellors have said that the Government’s plans for regulation of the buy now, pay later (BNPL) sector announced today will need to include strong requirements for len...

New Anti-Scam centre funding welcomed but will it help Bill who lost $20,000?

Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin has welcomed the extra funding announced in the Federal Budget for the Anti-Scam Centre, saying it’s a first step in the right direction, but deep concerns remain...

AFCA’s approach to claims for non-financial loss

Consumer Action is responding to the proposed amendments to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s (AFCA) approach to non-financial loss claims (Amended Approach). We generally support the go...

Australia’s banks failing customers by placing all the burden of the scams crisis on them says damning ASIC report

Australia’s four major banks are failing their customers by taking a ‘variable and…less mature’ approach to scams than expected, with ‘inconsistent and narrow approaches to determining liability’ as w...

Only a Federal Government mandate forcing banks to reimburse customers will solve growing scams crisis says Consumer Action

Scammers are targeting Australians online with highly sophisticated scams, stealing $billions from ordinary families and businesses every year -and it’s getting worse! That’s the message from the Aust...

OPINION: Banks must use their windfall profits to tackle the scam crisis 

By Stephanie Tonkin, CEO, Consumer Action Law Centre  The big four banks are tipped to make record profits this financial year, with some analysts suggesting they will collectively rake in more th...

Token crypto mapping consultation paper and the need for adequate protections and safeguards

The crypto marketplace currently poses significant risk to consumers and there is a pressing need for adequate protections and safeguards. Consumer Action applauds the Government for its commitment...

Exposure draft – consumer credit regulations

Consumer Action, and the various organisations from the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance, routinely advise and assist people who have multiple payday loans and/or consumer leases that they took on due to t...

Anti-avoidance provisions for credit product intervention orders

This is a joint submission made on behalf of: • Consumer Action Law Centre • Financial Rights Legal Centre • Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network • Financial Counselling Australia • WEstjusti...

Submission Select Committee on Cost of Living

In responding the cost of living crisis, consumers are contacting our services for advice and assistance. In 2022, there were 6,494 contacts to our financial counsellors via the National Debt Helpline...

Scams must be stopped: Westpac alerts for mis-matched payments and money transfer measures welcomed

Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin says Westpac’s announcement of a new verification system for payments and money transfer measures to new accounts are “…steps in the right direction to help stop t...

OPINION: Banks, get tougher on scams

An edited version of this opinion piece appeared in the Herald Sun 18 February, 2023 You’d be hard-pressed these days to find someone who hasn’t been the target of a scam. Whether it’s a fraudulent...

Consumer Action calling on banks to block payments to scammers and reimburse victims

Australia’s banks should quickly introduce measures to stop scams, make their systems safer and reimburse victims or be made by Government to do so, says Consumer Action CEO Stephanie Tonkin. Ms Tonk...

ConsumerAction · "The best job I will ever have in my career..." Gerard Brody on his 10 years as Consumer Action CEO

PODCAST: “The best job I will ever have in my career,” Gerard Brody on his 10 years as Consumer Action CEO

PODCAST: In his last week as Consumer Action CEO, Gerard Brody sat down to reflect on some of his experiences at the centre. One of the most incredible aspects of Gerard's leadership is his calm and v...

A Strategic Plan for the Payments System

We consider the safety and resilience of the payments system to require urgent attention and intervention and outline the reasons for this in our joint submission with Financial Rights Legal Centre....

Inquiry into the extent and nature of poverty in Australia

Consumer Action’s financial counsellors and lawyers advise and assist people experiencing financial hardship and poverty on a daily basis. The data Consumer Action collects, as well as the reflections...

Australia’s banks should follow CBA’s lead and introduce stronger measures to stop scams

The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has announced it is introducing measures to strengthen its payment system that will make it harder for crooks to scam their customers. The measures called NameCheck and Cal...

Regulate Buy Now, Pay Later like other credit products to boost customer safeguards, consumer groups say

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) late fees and charges would be capped, and providers would be licensed and banned from making unsolicited offers of credit, under recommendations for proper regulation of the...

Treasury Options Paper, Regulating Buy Now Pay Later in Australia

Consumer Action has joined with 22 other organisations as part of the "Close Lending Loopholes Alliance" to make a submission to Treasury on its Options Paper, Regulating Buy Now Pay Later in Australi...

Review of the Australian Finance Industry Association (AFIA) Buy Now Pay Later Code of Practice

Consumer Credit Legal Services (WA) Inc. (CCLSWA) has drafted these submissions on behalf of the Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) and its members. CFA is the peak body for consumer organisatio...

High Court dismisses last ditch appeal by rogue lender

Consumer advocates have welcomed the dismissal by the High Court of a special leave application by Cigno Pty Ltd (Cigno) and BHF Solutions Pty Ltd (BHFS) against the Full Federal Court’s finding in en...

Robodebt Royal Commission: refer debt collection misconduct to the ACCC

Consumer Action has partnered with Financial Counselling Australia and Economic Justice Australia to make a submission to the Royal Commission into the Robodebt Scheme. The submission asks the Roya...

Revision to Banking Code of Practice needs teeth to really help those doing it tough

Consumer advocates are calling for Australian banks to maintain and enhance robust consumer protections, following an independent review of the Banking Code of Practice (the Banking Code). The Aust...

Consumer protections for high-cost and harmful payday loans and consumer leases finally pass Parliament

After a late-night Senate sitting, Consumer Advocacy groups across Australia are celebrating the passing through the Federal Parliament of long overdue reforms that will protect consumers from falling...

Financial Services Legislation Inquiry –Interim Report B

Consumer Action has joined with Financial Rights Legal Centre and Redfern Legal Centre to make a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission in response to its Financial Services Legislation In...

Dodgy rent-to-buy houses scheme leads to jail

A Victorian County Court verdict today handed Sheree Becker a three year and six month sentence jail sentence with 15 months before parole for 7 counts of fraud against the ANZ Bank. In the scheme...

‘A matter of urgency’: Community sector calls on Senate to pass the Financial Sector Reform Bill now

Community organisations that are part of the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance are urging the Senate not to further delay the Financial Sector Reform (FSR) Bill. The Bill needs to be passed as a matter of u...

Buy now pay later changes must go all the way, consumer groups say

Buy now pay later (BNPL) products must be fully regulated as credit to protect consumers and put all credit providers on a level playing field, a coalition of consumer groups has said. The group, i...

Let’s pass the Finance Sector Reform Bill: The Stop the Debt Alliance strongly endorses Senate committee recommendation

The Stop the Debt Trap Alliance, a coalition of dozens of consume advocacy organisations from around Australia, including financial experts, community advocates and service providers has strongly endo...

“Time for the financial harms to stop”: Consumer groups urge Senate to quickly pass reforms on payday loans and consumer leases

Consumer Action is one of 20 community organisations strongly recommending that the consumer credit reforms in the Finance Sector Reform Bill (FSR Bill), relating to Small Amount Credit Contracts (SAC...

Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022 – Compensation Scheme of Last Resort and Financial Accountability Regime

Consumer groups strongly support the passage of a well-designed Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (‘CSLR’) and Financial Accountability Regime (‘FAR’). These reforms are landmark recommendations of t...

Submission to Senate Economics Committee: Financial Sector Reform Bill 2022 – consumer credit reforms

The submission, on behalf of 20 community organisations, recommends that the consumer credit reforms in the Finance Sector Reform Bill (FSR Bill) relating to small amount credit contracts and consumer...

Harvey-Norman and Latitude case alleging misleading ‘interest-free’ credit card promotions welcomed by consumer advocates

Consumer Action, Financial Rights Legal Centre and CHOICE have welcomed the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s (ASIC) commencing legal action against Latitude Finance Australia and Har...

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