Queensland Consumer Watch: 23/10/2011

Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State

The Honourable Paul Lucas

26/10/2011

New laws simplify business registration

Queensland businesses will have access to easy processes to register their names following the passing of legislation in Parliament tonight.

Attorney General Paul Lucas said the Business Names Bill, which would come into effect from May 28 next year, would cut red tape for Queensland businesses and allow a national registration system.

"There are approximately 40,500 new business names registered in Queensland each year and the Queensland register currently holds about 261,000 names," Mr Lucas said.

"These days, many businesses often operate across state boundaries and may have to register in different jurisdictions.

"This Bill will allow current Queensland proprietors to keep their business name and that registration will become a national one.

"If proprietors do have multiple registrations throughout Australia for the same name then in the future, there will only be one registration and one payment.

"Together with other Bills in other States and Territories, this change will seek to bring business name requirements back to a consistent national approach under one piece of legislation.

"Not only will the change to a national system be a red-tape reduction, it was also be as seamless as possible to for existing proprietors.

"It's a win for businesses and it's a win for commonsense."

Protect your credit card details from lottery scammers

View radar online.

Added: October 2011

SCAMwatch is advising Australians to ignore recent lottery scam letters requesting $25, credit card details, or payment by cheque in return for a false $15,000 windfall.

How the scam works

You receive a letter in the mail claiming that you have won an amount of money in a lottery you never entered, or asking you to enter. Recent reports show that the false winnings are commonly $15,000 or $25,000.
The letter will ask for an initial payment, commonly of $25, in order to claim the winnings or to enter. It may ask for credit card details or payment by cheque.
The letter may look official and may contain forms to be returned along with the initial payment via an enclosed prepaid envelope.
The letter may mention an international organisation based in the USA and provide postal address details for this organisation. These organisations often disappear and morph into others.
Protect yourself
If you receive an unsolicited letter about a lottery you never entered destroy it. Never write back as this may lead to more scam letters being sent to you. Never send any money, personal or financial details.
If you aren't sure whether a letter is authentic, do an internet search using wording from the letter. Many well-known scams can be found this way.
If you think you have provided your banking or credit card details or sent a cheque to a scammer contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information
See our lottery and competition scams section for more information. SCAMwatch has also previously issued radars on lottery and fake prize scams: