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Lives ruined in Westpac low-doc 'scam'


PETER Cockroft says he lost his life savings, his 94-year-old father and his inheritance after a Westpac bank manager betrayed their trust.

At the grand age of 101, Heather Simmers lives with the consequences of a scheme that encouraged elderly people to take out uncoventional "low-doc" loans through Australia's second-largest bank and buy into a property development company that failed, leaving them broke and in some cases homeless.

www.TheAustralian.com.au

10.8.12

Door-to-door sales spark fire warning

Authorities are warning Brisbane residents to be wary of door-to-door sales people selling smoke alarms, fire blankets and extinguishes as products endorsed by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Mitchell said the service had received reports of door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the QFRS trying to inspect and sell fire safety products.

"Let me be clear that the QFRS does not proactively sell fire safety products including smoke alarms or fire blankets,” Mr Mitchell said.

“In fact QFRS personnel do not doorknock to sell any products and therefore, the public should be aware of any door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the service.


“We strongly advise if you are approached by anyone purporting to be from the QFRS, you do not let them into your home.

“We urge you to immediately report the incident to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.”

A sales person must leave a private property if asked to do so.

For further information is available at SCAMwatch at www.scamwatch.gov.au or the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.


www.brisbanetimes.com.au

New Telstra ripoff: Telco increases prices to combat NBN threat


Telstra in new Aussie ripoff
Telstra is increasing phone line rental fees for households, businesses and charities as it tries to squeeze profit out of its copper network before the national broadband network replaces it.

Telstra will also increase local call costs on fixed phone and start charging some mobile calls in 60-second blocks instead of 30-second blocks.


We have not had an increase for quite a long time and we have to reflect the cost of running our business

The cost of a local call on Telstra's Complete, Plus and Advanced home phone plans will increase by 2¢ from October 1 to 22¢, 20¢ and 17¢ respectively.

Monthly rental fees will increase by about 6 per cent from $2 to $3 per month on these three plans to be $31.95, $33.95 and $44.95 respectively. The Together plan will rise by $5 per month, taking it to $74.90 per month.

Four business rental plans will increase by $2 per month. Charity and non-profit organisations will also see 1¢ per minute increase in calls to mobiles and a $2 monthly rental increase to either $14.40 or $21.50, depending on their concession.

The cost of calling 13 numbers from any fixed line plan will increase from 30¢ to 35¢.

There will not be any increases for customers on HomeLine Budget plans or people who use Telstra's pensioner discount scheme.

"We have not had an increase for quite a long time and we have to reflect the cost of running our business," a Telstra spokeswoman said.

However Telstra did increase monthly rental for five home phone plans by $1 or $2 on October 1st last year.

And from October 1 pre-paid mobile customers on casual plans will be charged in one-minute blocks. Telstra's blog says the new price increases will help pay for upgrades to Telstra's mobile network. Telstra moved most mobile customers, long-distance calls and international calls to 60-second blocks in early 2011.

Telstra moved from charging customer per second to 30-second blocks in 2009.

Telstra recently increased prices across its post-paid mobile phone plans as well.

Revenue from the copper network has decreased from $6.6 billion in 2007-08 to $5.3 billion in 2010-11 as Australians choose to use mobile phones instead of fixed phones. GoldmanSachs analysts estimate this will fall to $3.6 billion by 2013-14 as the copper network is replaced by the national broadband network.

Telstra enjoys a 59 per cent profit margin on the services provided over the copper network compared to a 35 per cent profit margin on mobile services.

Executive Director of customer service at Telstra, Peter Jamieson, said this was the first change to local call costs in nine years. However regular line rental increases were necessary to cover increasing costs and make up for declining fixed-line connections.

"The dynamics of the [copper network] are changing over time as less customers use it and they use less of it, but it is still critical for all of our broadband customers. There are a set of dynamics in there that have to be balanced up and that is what we have done here to make the decision to increase prices at this time," Mr Jamieson said.

"It is not so much about costs increasing, it is about continuing to invest in that network as customers continue to decline over time...We see that continual decline and we just have to make sure that our revenues associated with that network and customers using that network continue to be in line with the cost of running it."

"The fixed network is still a very big part of the telecommunications infrastructure of Australia and we need to continue to maintain it for both our retail and our wholesale customers."

He would not say whether prices would increase again in the future.

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

27.7.12

SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert

Beware of reclaim scams

View radar online
Added: July 2012
SCAMwatch is warning you to be aware of scam calls or emails claiming that you are entitled to reclaim fees or rebates.
Scammers pretending to be from the Government, a bank or trusted organisation have come up with all sorts of stories to convince you to part with your money such as overpaid taxes, bank fees or compensation.
Now that it's tax time, SCAMwatch warns that reclaim scams for overpaid taxes are likely to increase.
If you are contacted out of the blue and told that you are entitled to money in exchange for an upfront fee, ignore it – if you hand over your money, it's gone.
How these scams work
  • You receive a call or email out of the blue that claims you are eligible to reclaim money for overpaid taxes, bank fees or compensation. 
  • The caller or sender pretends to be from a government department, financial institution or trusted organisation.
  • In order to receive your money, you will have to pay a fee upfront to cover 'administration fees' or taxes.
  • The scammer will typically ask you to send the money via a money transfer service.
  • You may also be asked to provide personal or financial details.
Protect yourself
  • If you receive a phone call or email out of the blue claiming that you are entitled to reclaim money for a fee, hang up or press 'delete'.
  • If you're not sure whether the call or email is a scam, verify who they are by using their official contact details to call them directly. Never use contact details provided by the caller – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
  • If the caller or sender claims to be from the Government, remember: government departments will never contact you asking you to pay money upfront in order to claim a fee or rebate.
  • Never send money or give your financial details to someone you don't know and trust – it's rare to recover money from a scammer.
  • If you think you've provided your bank account or credit card details 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
The Australian Government website www.australia.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services.
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert

'Hitman' scam resurfaces

View Radar Online
Added July 2012
SCAMwatch is warning Australians to beware of SMS death threats from scammers claiming to be 'hitmen' hired to kill the SMS recipient unless they send cash.
This scam has been around for a number of years, with scammers using both SMS and email to target you. The message arrives out of the blue and often contains a variation of the following text:
"Sum1 paid me to kill you. get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, death is promised...E-mail me now: killerking247yahoo.com.''
The scammers will typically request a sum of money and may also ask you for your personal details.
If you receive this scam SMS, do not respond – these text messages are often sent at random, so scammers won't know if they have reached a live mobile number until the recipient responds. Ignore any requests for your personal details as it may lead to the theft of your identity.
Protect yourself
  • Delete the SMS immediately.
  • Do not forward or respond to the SMS – if you do, the scammers will escalate their intimidation and attempts to get your money.
  • Never provide your personal, credit card or banking details in an SMS, email or over the phone – scammers will use your details to commit identity fraud or steal your money.
  • If you have transferred any money, or have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank and the police immediately.
Reporting scams
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995. Noting the text and phone number of the sender may assist in any investigations of the scam.
Should you ever be concerned about your physical safety, contact your local police.
More information
SCAMwatch has issued previous radars on 'hitman' scams:
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

Bastard of a story: Court orders 'Fat Aussie Barstard' to hand in auction funds


Peter Michael Finn aka "Fat Aussie Barstard".
A Queensland man who auctioned a tooth he had pulled, supposedly to raise money for a children's hospital, has been ordered to hand the funds over after a court found no evidence the proceeds went to the hospital.

Peter Michael Finn, who describes himself as a "Fat Aussie Barstard (sic)" on his YouTube channel, launched the online auction in June last year and raised $6543, which he claimed was for the Brisbane Royal Children's Hospital.

Finn faced Noosa Magistrates Court yesterday where the court heard he did not apply to the Office of Fair Trading to request permission to make a public appeal and none of the funds reached the hospital, the Brisbane Times reports.

Finn told the court he estimated that the cost of running the auction was between $4000 and $5000, including "100 hours of my time, answering comments, editing videos, shooting videos, liaising with the bidders”.

After the expenses, Finn said he was left with about $1500 and handed out the money to homeless people in the Fortitude Valley.

He said he didn't film or make a note of the donations to respect the privacy of those he helped.

He pleaded guilty to unlawfully appealing for support and converting the money for own use/failing to properly account for it.

He was ordered to undertake 200 hours of community service, pay the $6543 he raised to Brisbane Children's Hospital and received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Finn has urged potential fund raisers to stick to the letter of the law.


19.7.12


UK forces truth in travel advertising as ACCC does nothing


UK consumers benfit from Fair Trading ruling
as Australia's ACCC does nothing for the
people of Australia.
Following Office of Fair Trading enforcement action, 12 airlines operating in the UK have agreed to include debit card surcharges in the headline price of tickets.

The move is designed to end surprise increases in price at the end of the booking process common online when booking with many carriers.

Any surcharges for paying by credit card will also be easy to find when booking online, the OFT said.

Aer Lingus, BMI Baby, Eastern Airways, easyJet, Flybe, German Wings, Jet2, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Thomas Cook, Thomson (TUI) and Wizz Air were subject to an OFT consumer law investigation and have agreed to change their practices.

The OFT believes people should not have to incur surcharges to use a debit card online.

Debit cards are the online equivalent of cash which means that headline prices should be the price people can pay.

The OFT believes traders may still impose surcharges for credit cards, which can be more costly to process.

However, it is critical that these charges are transparent and not sprung on shoppers towards the end of the booking process. As part of the OFT’s enforcement action the airlines agreed to make surcharges for credit cards more transparent so that these charges will be clearer and easier to find during the booking process.

Following recommendations from the OFT last year, the Government has also announced plans to bring forward legislation to ban excessive debit and credit card surcharges across the UK economy.

The OFT estimated that debit and credit card surcharging in the airlines sector cost consumers £300 million a year.

All airlines have agreed to change their advertising practices by August 1st and fully complete further changes over the coming months.

Clive Maxwell, the OFT’s Chief Executive, said: “This is a great outcome for the millions of people who buy flights online.

“It is important that the cost presented when they search for a flight is realistic and that they are not surprised by extra charges. Otherwise it is harder for them to shop around for the best deal.”

In June last year, the OFT responded to a super-complaint from Which? and warned the airline industry to change practices or risk enforcement action.


COMMENT: Why doesn't the ACCC follow suit in Australia forcing airlines to disclose all costs, including credit card fees, when they advertise cheap flights.  The ACCC is a toothless tiger which has had 10,000 complaints on petrol prices alone and whose efforts to fix this problem have been scientifically calculated as somewhere between Biuckley's and none!

2.7.12

Fair Trading Warning: Scammers use bank fees as new cover

AUSTRALIANS are being targeted by a new phone scam in which victims are promised refunds from banks that have overcharged them.

NSW Fair Trading Assistant Commissioner Robert Vellar says there has been a spate of bogus calls, mainly during the day, to residents across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

The callers claim to represent NSW Fair Trading and tell people they are entitled to money from banks.

They then ask for account details so the funds can be returned.

The scam is the latest in a conga-line of criminal hoaxes where people claimed to be from banks or government agencies, he says.

Because the transactions are done over the internet any money lost is almost irretrievable, Mr Vellar said.

"In all likelihood it is very difficult, and really almost impossible to recover people's money because it's gone offshore to Eastern Europe or to Africa," he told AAP on Tuesday.

"With the technology that the internet provides ... (the phone calls) are virtually untraceable.

"Calls are made to look like they come from Sydney but often they are calling from somewhere like the Ukraine."

The scams were almost impossible to police, he said.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Scamwatch, more than 83,000 people reported scams in 2011, costing unsuspecting victims more than $85.6 million.

Almost 52 per cent of scams reported to the ACCC in 2011 were delivered by phone.


19.7.12


"She'll be apples says Apple but iPhone 5 will be a complete ripoff

Apple has filed a patent to change the connection port on the next version of the iPhone, seemingly confirming rumours users may have to update their peripherals.

APPLE has been granted a patent for what is believed to be a new docking connector for the next version of the iPhone - and consumers are worried.

Apple is believed to be revamping the charging port for the iPhone5, which is expected to be released later this year.

The rumours about Apple users having to replace all their expensive accessories have been in overdrive for weeks.

The patent would seem to confirm the rumours that Apple - which always plays its cards tight to its chest with new designs - is switching its 30-pin dock to 19-pin.

 And that is what concerns Apple users. The new design will mean changing all of your peripherals, such as speaker docks, unless adapters come to market, The Daily Mail reports.

The rumoured proposal has sparked alarm among the company’s followers who fear they will have to buy new equipment to work with the phone.

Docking stations, which play music stored on iPhones and can cost hundreds of dollars, may become redundant as will chargers. The new port looks similar to micro USB, the standard supported by all other phone manufacturers but it's unlikely that Apple will support this standard.

Apple's version has a triangle-shaped wedge at one end, which should stop users plugging in the cable the wrong way round.

The US patent office granted the patent for: "A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device.

"The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter.

"The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device."
 
Apple advertised for staff to work on the new connector earlier this year. It was seeking an engineer ‘responsible for identifying appropriate connection technology requirements for new products and follow through with selection and development of suitable interconnect products’.

The advertisement added: ‘This will often involve adaptation of existing connectors or complete new designs.’

The new iPhone is expected to have a larger 4-inch screen that will reputedly offer better resolution viewing than a high definition TV.

It will include Apple’s new mapping software, which has sparked privacy fears as it uses aerial photography capable of showing detail just four inches across.

www.CourierMail.com.au

19.7.12

Consumer Ripoff: Chop shop cars - can you spot the difference?

 
The Motor Trade Association of WA has
issued a warning about chop-shop vehicles.

You may not be driving the car you think you are driving.

That is the warning the Motor Trade Association of WA is giving after the discovery of a Toyota Prado in Perth that was not what it appeared to be.

The vehicle had been professionally re-birthed and up-specked.

That means although it was a GX Prado bought at auction in Queensland last year for $25,100 with 323,338 km on its odometer, it was traded to a Perth car yard for $45,000 as a Toyota Prado GXL with an odometer reading of 42,380 kilometres.

The car yard only realised there was something not quite right with the vehicle when it was about to on-sell it.

MTA chief executive Stephen Moir said there could be tens of thousands of similar vehicles across the state.

"They literally take all of the dash of a top line model and put it in the car, but it doesn't necessarily have the airbags or the ABS systems that you would get with the model you think you are buying," he said.

While it means consumers are being ripped off, Mr Moir said it also had huge ramifications in terms of safety.

A forensic examination of the Prado found in Perth in June uncovered dozens of irregularities and alterations.

It found that the vehicle did not have airbags, had been immersed in freshwater which can affect a number of mechanical, electrical and safety features and had corroded a number of bolts.

"This vehicle is the tip of the iceberg; with the illegal car re-birthing industry in Australia estimated to be worth up to $400 million a year," Mr Moir said.

He said last month the illegal chop-shop operations of two families in New South Wales which involved more than 81 cars sold worth more than $1.5 million were uncovered.

Mr Moir said vehicles such as the Toyota Prado, Hilux and Land Cruiser were commonly altered and on-sold because they were in high demand.

"They are in short supply because of the tsunami so when they come on the market they tend to go very quickly," he said.

High-end cars such as Audis, BMWs and Porsches from WA that had been altered were also showing up in the eastern states.

Mr Moir said vehicles were stolen along with the keys to them and transported via car trucks across the country.

"Cars move everyday north, south, east and west, it's not uncommon to see trucks laden with cars coming across so it doesn't seem unusual," he said.

"Then they are often delivered to genuine looking automotive businesses at the other end."

Mr Moir said the reason the problem was so bad and was not being picked up in WA was the lack of resources.

After making the police aware of this particular case, the MTA spoke to the WA Police about increasing the resources directed towards the issue.

"We have three officers on the police motor squad covering fraud," he said.

"There are over two million vehicles in the state."

He said anyone looking to buy a second hand vehicle should check whether the vehicle they were buying had been a declarable write off and whether there was any finance owing on the vehicle.

Mr Moir said this information could be found at www.ppsr.gov.au.

He also suggested they get an authorised mechanic to look over the vehicle but he warned that it was difficult even for a trained mechanic to pick up the signs that would alert them to the fact a car was not what it should be.



Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/

18.7.12

Be warned about "We Buy Any Car"

WeBuyAnyCar.com.au

A Current Affair tonight exposed this Company over its dealings with customers in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Late payments, non-payments, unfulfilled promises - you name it, this company delivers on everything but good service.

Consumer Watch says: Be Warned!

SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Protect your retirement savings from investment scammers

View Radar Online

Added: July 2012

SCAMwatch and the Australian Crime Commission Board are urging Australians to protect themselves from the growing threat of investment scams. Investment scammers are commonly based offshore and target Australia because of high levels of superannuation and retirement savings.

How the scam works

  • You receive a call, email or letter out of the blue from someone offering an investment opportunity overseas.
  • The scammer applies persuasive techniques to identify your financial status and encourages you to transfer money into sham investments.
  • The scammer may encourage you to check that the investment offer is legitimate. If you research the offer, the scammer may have gone to elaborate lengths to trick you including:
    - manipulating search data
    - creating professional looking, but fake websites and publications
    - issuing online press releases that make false claims of outstanding corporate performance.
  • In some instances, the scammer may even provide you with a log-in to view fake investment balances and growing returns. In reality, your money is gone.
  • If you engage with the scammer, they may apply even greater pressure such as calling you multiple times a day, using tailored scripts and delivering professional looking documents via courier – all to try and get you to part with more of your money.
  • The scammer will likely ask you to transfer the money electronically to an overseas-based account. It is rare to recover money sent to scammers.

SCAMwatch urges you to be on alert: These scams are incredibly sophisticated and very difficult for even experienced investors to identify.

Protect yourself

  • Visit www.moneysmart.gov.au or call 1300 300 630 for more information. Moneysmart also has a list of companies you should not deal with - if you receive a call from a company on this list, do not deal with them. 
  • Watch out for scammers if you are approaching retirement and looking for investment opportunities.
  • Alert your family and friends to this fraud, especially anyone who may have savings to invest.
  • Report suspected fraud to the Australian Securities Investment Commission, via www.moneysmart.gov.au or 1300 300 630, or your local police.
  • Hang up on unsolicited telephone calls offering overseas investments. 
  • Check any company you are discussing investments with has a valid Australian Financial Services Licence at www.moneysmart.gov.au.
  • Always seek independent financial advice before making an investment.

Report

You can report suspected fraud to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, via www.moneysmart.gov.au or 1300 300 630, or your local police. Any information that can be provided such as company name, location and contact details will assist with subsequent investigations and enquiries.

More information

To tackle this growing threat, the Australian Crime Commission Board established a multi-agency task force that aims to disrupt fraudulent serious and organised investment scams and harden the Australian environment against this type of organised criminality. Find out more at the Australian Crime Commission website.

Stay one step ahead of scammers – follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.

You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au.

If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachemnts.

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

 

SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of “voucherprize” scam text messages [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Beware of "voucher prize" scam text messages

View radar online.

Added: June 2012

SCAMwatch is warning consumers not to respond to text messages which claim you have won a voucher, when in fact you are entering into an expensive mobile premium SMS service.

How this scams works

  • You may receive a text message from an unknown number congratulating you on winning a voucher from a competition you supposedly entered into.
  • This scam uses (without authority) brand names and logos of well-known companies and products in order to make the prize look legitimate. The voucher is for a high dollar value, which makes it especially attractive.
  • You will be provided with a code to enter into a website to claim your voucher. Once the code is entered the website link will redirect you to another website confirming your win.
  • On the second website you will be requested to enter your mobile number. It has been reported that if you enter your number you may be subscribed to a mobile premium service (mps).
  • Mps can be activated by typing your mobile phone number into a website resulting in you receiving an expensive phone bill you didn't expect.
  • Similar scams are perpetrated via email with links to online scam surveys.

Protect yourself

  • Never give your mobile phone details in response to an unsolicited SMS.
  • Never enter your mobile phone number into a website unless you are certain that the website is genuine. Never enter details into a website which you visited by clicking on a link in an SMS.
  • Never respond "Ok" or in the affirmative to SMS messages you receive out of the blue and have no knowledge of. Responding to these messages could subscribe you to further expensive competition and prize alerts.
  • If in doubt about the authenticity of an SMS, always contact the business or service provider to verify that the request is genuine.
  • Never rely on contact details provided in an SMS. Instead, find genuine contact details independently from an authentic source.
  • Be very wary when filling in online surveys. Scammers commonly use these surveys to steal your valuable personal information.

Report

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

More information

Visit the Australian Communication and Media Authority's mobile premium services – information for consumers web page.

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/#!/SCAMwatch_gov

JB Hi Fi have also issued a warning about this type of scam via their twitter account
______________________________________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

SCAMwatch email alert: Update - Beware of carbon price scams [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Update - Beware of carbon price scams

View radar online

Added: June 2012

SCAMwatch is warning consumers and businesses to be on the look out for carbon price scams, particularly calls asking for personal information in order to receive compensation.

How these scams work

Carbon price scams may come in a number of forms, targeting consumers and businesses:

  • Beware of phone calls seeking your personal banking details to pay carbon 'tax' compensation into your bank account. These are likely to be scam calls;
  • Scammers may set up fake websites which look very similar to official Australian Government websites. The sites may ask you to enter your personal or financial details, or offer to sell you fake carbon credits;
  • Scammers may also make telephone calls posing as government officers, asking for your personal information (such as banking details or identification numbers) in order to claim household assistance from the government.

Protect yourself

  • The Australian Government will never call you to ask for your bank account details or to offer you carbon price compensation. Government services are never paid via wire transfer.
  • The Australian Government website www.australia.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services.
  • Be alert to scam telephone calls which ask for personal, business or financial details. Hang up immediately if you receive a phone call out of the blue:
    • asking for your bank account or personal details;
    • claiming you need to pay or transfer money, or provide your banking details, to receive a compensation payment or tax payment;
    • asking for personal details, such as your Department of Veterans Affairs/DVA client number or other identification or
    • offering to sell you carbon credits or permits for a carbon pricing mechanism or emissions trading scheme.

Scam telephone calls & letters

  • Never provide or confirm your personal or business details over the phone (including banking details or identification numbers) unless you made the call using contact details you found yourself and you trust the information.
  • If you think that a call might be a scam hang up and check by using official contact details which you have found independently. Never use phone numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller.
  • If you receive a phone call or letter asking for personal information such as your DVA client number or banking details, do not answer straight away. Contact your nearest DVA office on 133 254 or 1800 555 254 from regional Australia to confirm the source is legitimate.

Scam websites

  • Never enter your credit card or banking details on a website unless you have checked it is authentic and secure. Legitimate websites which ask you to enter sensitive personal or business details are commonly encrypted to protect your details.
    • This is usually identified by the use of "https:" rather than "http:" at the start of the internet address.
    • This can also be identified by a closed or unbroken key or padlock icon at the bottom right corner of your browser window.
    • If the 's' is missing or there is an open padlock or broken key icon, your information may not be secure and the website could be a scam site.

If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer

  • Contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

Businesses

  • Make sure you only deal with people you know and trust. Avoid having a large number of staff authorised to make orders or pay invoices. This will reduce the risk of your business paying for something that it is not required or is not legitimate.

Report

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

More information

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

Hyundai is absolutely disgraceful

Secret cameras. Secret video. Secret audio.

Spying on unsuspecting individuals and couples.

If you want to protect your privacy, NEVER EVER take a test drive in any Hyundai vehicle on offer at any dealer.

You never know when they will be spying on YOU.

Woolworths in consumer debit card ripoff



Woolworths - the
Fresh Ripoff People!

On 29 April 2012, the Woolworths Group made a decision to not allow Debit cardholders to press "credit" on EFTPOS terminals when purchasing in their stores.

Debit cardholders must select "Cheque" or "Savings" and use a PIN when shopping at stores that form part of the Woolworths Group.

Consumers should be free to choose how they use their debit cards at point of sale, however this decision was entirely made by Woolworths and has nothing to do with individual card issuers..

By pressing "Cheque" or "Savings", this may incur a transaction fee which otherwise would not have been incurred by pressing "Credit".

Some banks provide monthly rebates to absorb fees up to the rebate amount.

A Credit Card account does not have the same restriction at Woolworths Group stores which Debit cards do, meaning consumers can still select "Credit" when using a Credit Card.

There is further information on the Woolworths website regarding Debit Cards.

This whole change is a gigantic ripoff by Woolworths - The Fresh Ripoff People!




Fraud Warning: Queensland Police warn of tax refund scam

Queensland Police are warning residents about a new scam that sees emails arrive in Australian Taxation Office (ATO) livery, complete with promise of a refund.

Queensland Police advise the email’s subject line is’ Subject: ID: 46 – Tax Refund Notice !’ and that the scam unfurls as follows:

The email advises the recipient to wait 6-9 working days for their “refund” to be received and they are directed to click on a link which appears to start as a genuine “ato.gov.au” email address, but on closer inspection contains a “@hotmail.com” address within the link. 

The fraudsters tell the recipient they will record their IP address, date and time and threaten that deliberate wrong inputs are criminally pursued and persecuted. When directed to the website recipients are confronted with an authentic looking web page and are required to enter an array of identity details, credit card number, credit card estimated credit card balance and amongst other things to upload a scan of their driver’s license.

The mail is, of course, a scam and no refund will be forthcoming. Instead, identity theft and unwanted credit card purchases await those who fall into this trap.

Detective Superintendent Brian Hay of the State Crime Operations Command’s Fraud and Corporate Crime Group says “While fake emails like the ATO scam email are nothing new, people are still falling victim to it each day. This is very much a concern to us.”


New bookstore opens at Orion Springfield Central but will the accidents continue?



Allbooks4less at
Orion Springfield Central
Allbooks4less.com.au is due to open in four days at Orion Springfield Central.

But the new owner could be in for a shock when the summer storms set in, making the footpath outside the store as slippery as glass.

The former store was Mary Ryans Books whose owner often had people, including elderly folk, slipping and sliding and injuring themselves when the pavement got wet.

They sought comfort and first aid inside the store, thinking they were responsible for the footpath.

Pleas to Centre Management to fix this dangerous footpath have gone unheeded.

Centre management seems keener on issuing eviction notices than solving serious public safety issues.

The owner of Mary Ryans was unceremoniously locked out of her store and her leased terminated by Mirvac in what some describe as a complete act of commercial bastardry.

Whether or not that is true will be fought out in the courts.

Up to five separate legal actions are planned in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal by lawyers acting for disgruntled tenants at Orion.

These will be a major focus of attention in the media and are likely to be a total embarrassment for Mirvac whatever the outcome.

Issues regarding broken air conditioning, unfulfilled promises and lease breaches will no doubt be aired with more dirty linen than a Chinese laundry.

Mirvac plays legal issues very hard and sometimes loses sight of winning the PR race instead concentrating on winning the bragging rights over legal actions.

Orion at Springfield Central is fast gaining a reputation as the unhappiest shipping centre in Queensland with tenants in fear and frightened to speak out.

Maybe Mirvac's next great idea will be to introduce paid parking into the centre if they think rail commuters at the nearby planned railway station are taking up too many precious car parks.

Meanwhile, if you are walking down Main St Springfield Central in the rain, you would be well-advised to avoid the Allbooks4less.com.au storefront if you are not planning an emergency trip to the Ipswich Hospital or the PA.

27.5.12

Apple News: Rumours of iPad mini return

Could Apple be working on a device with a 5-inch or 7-inch screen?

This question continues to get stirred up with other speculation, like the leaves at the bottom of a tea cup - and everyone tries to read them.

In today's edition of "As the Apple Turns", momentum appears to be coming out of China with stories attributed to "reliable sources" about the company developing Retina display screens for a smaller tablet.

Macotakara is reporting that 2013 is the year of the pocket-sized tablet and feature resolution of 1600 by 960 pixels or 1280 by 960 pixels.

And Eric Jou of Kotaku wrote that Chinese site NetEase is claiming a mini iPad would be released in the third quarter of this year to combat a potential debut of a Windows tablet. The report, which appears in Chinese, puts the cost of these devices under $US300, according to Jou.

Talk of both smaller and bigger screens pops up almost weekly. Earlier this month, reports from Korea Times and Venture Beat highlighted the possibility of a smaller screen. And last week, an analyst note started a flurry of speculation about the next iPhone screen growing a smidge to 4 inches.

The genesis of the 7-inch iPad appears to have come from an iLounge report in 2009, citing an anonymous source. Apple had created several versions of the iPad, including a 7-inch model that was dismissed as being too small, according to the iLounge report. (Wired does a good job of tracking the rumour from birth to maturity.)

Apple respectfully declined to comment on rumors.

The current iPad, aka "new iPad", features a 9.5-inch display with 2048-by-1536-pixel resolution at 264 pixels per inch.

And with Apple apparently going through a renaming renaissance, one is left to wonder: would a tablet with a smaller screen be an iPad mini along the lines of the Mac Mini, or would it be an iPad Nano like the watch-sized iPod? Or maybe it'd be an iPhone Maxi.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/

SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of directory listing scams targeting small businesses [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Beware of directory listing scams targeting small businesses


View radar online.

Added: April 2012

SCAMwatch is advising businesses to beware of unsolicited faxes offering paid listings in scam online directories.

How the scam works

  • Your business receives an offer, often via fax, to list your businesses details in a scam online directory.
  • The offer may aim to lock you into an expensive ongoing contract for periods of 12, 24 or 48 months. You may be asked to pay 12 months in advance. Contract fees can be over $1000 per year.
  • The offer may set deadlines for your response and payment. For example you may be required to pay within a number of business days of accepting the offer.
  • If you refuse to pay, the scammers might try to intimidate you by threatening legal action or debt collection.
  • The offer may use variations and copies of well-known logos, words, brand names, business names, pre-existing directories or websites in order to appear legitimate and convince you that the listing is of high quality and value.
  • The offer may appear to be from a local or Australian business directory but often only an international contact phone number is given.
  • The offer may state that you can only terminate the agreement by giving lengthy written notice, sometimes as long as three months. This written notice may have to be sent to an overseas address.

Protect yourself

  • Always check offers are legitimate and offer a quality product/service before you sign up. Search the wording of the offer or the company name on the web as many scams can be identified this way.
  • It is important to check the legitimacy of all offers, whether they originate within Australia or overseas.
  • If the offer includes an outstanding invoice, ensure that it is from a business that you normally deal with. If not it may be a scam.
  • Check first: many small business scams involve fake invoices for goods or services that haven't been requested or provided.
  • Never give or clarify any information about your business unless you trust the other party. Also ensure you know what the information will be used for.
  • Try to avoid having a large number of people authorised to make orders or pay invoices.
  • Beware of offers which come out of the blue and that you didn't ask for. Scammers almost always approach businesses in this manner. 
  • Do not let anyone pressure you into making decisions involving payments or ongoing contracts. Always get independent financial or legal advice.
  • If you are interested in listing your business details in a legitimate online directory, research your options first. Online reviews and forums may help.

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 small business scams section for more information.

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov

______________________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

Alleged rapist accused of striking again while on bail

The alleged Mt Coot-tha rapist has been accused of striking again after being released from prison on bail, a court has heard.
 
The 38-year-old man from Murarrie in Brisbane's east, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly sexually assaulted a 20-year-old Korean student in New Farm Park on Friday night.
 
He appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court today charged with one count each of "stupefy", assault to rape and sexual assault.
 
Advertisement: Story continues below
 
He was also charged for breaching his bail conditions.
 
Last year, the 38-year-old was accused of drugging and raping at least three Asian students near the Mt Coot-tha lookout.
 
He allegedly lured the young women, he met via online student forums, to the lookout after promising to teach them English.
 
The 38-year-old was initially denied bail by a magistrate in April, but was later freed from prison by the Supreme Court on December 21.
 
He was remanded in custody today and is due to face court again on Thursday.
 
 
 
COMMENT: The Supreme Court has a lot to answer for over this latest outrage.

SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of phone scams – 2011 Targeting Scams report [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Beware of phone scams – 2011 Targeting Scams report

View radar online.

Added: March 2012

SCAMwatch is continuing to warn Australians to beware of scams delivered by phone with the ACCC receiving over 43,000 reports of scams perpetrated this way in 2011.

Coinciding with National Consumer Fraud Week 2012, the ACCC released its third annual Targeting Scams Report. The report discusses 2011 scams activity and consumer fraud targeting Australian consumers and small businesses.

Targeting Scams report snapshot

  • The ACCC received over 83,000 scam reports and enquiries in 2011, almost doubling that of 2010.
  • Scam losses reported to the ACCC totalled more than $85.6 million, a 35 per cent increase from 2010.
  • 88 per cent of consumers who contacted the ACCC about scams in 2011 reported no financial loss.
  • The SCAMwatch website received in excess of 20.5 million hits throughout 2011, almost 400 per cent more than in 2010.
  • SCAMwatch also welcomed almost 5,000 new subscribers to its email alert service and more than 2,600 followers to its Twitter page (http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov) in 2011.
  • The ACCC also observed a shift in the preferred mode of scam delivery from online methods in 2010 to unsolicited telephone calls in 2011. 
  • Almost 52 per cent of scams reported to the ACCC in 2011 were delivered by phone and reported losses to these scams totalled more than $27.7 million.

Common phone scams reported in 2011 included

  • Callers pretending to be from government: In 2011 the ACCC saw large numbers of advance fee scams initiated by telephone. Many involved scammers posing as representatives from government departments, for example offering fake grants, rebates or refunds in return for up-front payments.
  • Callers pretending to be from companies: In 2011 it was also common for scammers to pose as staff from well known companies and organisations asking for personal details, payments or remote access to the victim's computer. Scammers posed as representatives from banks, computer companies, telecommunications services, postal and logistics services and solar panel installers.
  • Scam SMS: Text messages are also commonly used by scammers to send competition or prize scams. Scammers often try to snare many people with one SMS sent en masse - this is known as spamming. Scammers may request personal details or payments in scam SMS messages. If you respond, you could also be charged at premium rates or find yourself signed up to a costly subscription service.

Protect yourself from phone scams

  • Be cautious if you are contacted by someone claiming to be from government or a well known company and they request personal details or up-front payments.
  • If you are in doubt about the authenticity of a call, don't commit to anything. Instead hang up and call the company or government department directly using their official customer service number to verify that it is genuine. Never use contact details provided by the caller, instead find the number via an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
  • Never confirm or provide personal details, credit card numbers or other account information over the phone unless you initiated the call and trust the other party.
  • If you receive a phone call out of the blue about your computer and requesting remote access - hang up – even if they mention a well-known company. Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer.
  • Remember that you can still receive scam calls even if you have a private number. Scammers can obtain your number fraudulently from black-market sources.

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

More information
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http:www.scamwatch.gov.au.

______________________________________________

If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain


QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego,
Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and parts of the Central West
and Central Highlands and Coalfields districts.
Issued at 5:00 pm on Wednesday 21 March 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 4pm AEST, the monsoon trough extended across northwest
and central Queensland from the Gulf Country to the Capricornia district. A
tropical low was situated approximately 165 kilometres east northeast of
Longreach and moving in an east southeasterly direction at 20 kilometres per
hour. The low is expected to continue moving in an east southeasterly direction
this evening while weakening gradually during Thursday. A secondary low is
otherwise expected to develop near or off Fraser Island or the Sunshine Coast
late Thursday.

24 hour totals of 50 to 100mm are likely with
isolated heavier falls greater than 150mm possible. Locations that may be
affected include Emerald, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Charleville, Roma and Taroom.

These conditions are expected to extend southwards across the Southeast Coast
and remaining parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt tonight and early
Thursday while gradually easing across central and western districts during the
day.

For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

Complete warning text
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QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain & Flash Flooding


QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain & Flash Flooding
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Southeast Coast district and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett
district.
Issued at 4:50 pm on Sunday 4 March 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 4:00 pm AEST, a low pressure system was located over
northern Hervey Bay. The low is forecast to cross the Wide Bay coast this
afternoon and remain over southeastern Queensland on Monday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop this evening
about the Fraser and Sunshine Coasts, possibly extending to affect areas east of
the Great Dividing Range and south of Bundaberg overnight and on Monday.
Localised 24 hour rainfall totals in excess of 150mm are likely, especially
about the Sunshine Coast. Locations which may be affected include Bundaberg,
Hervey Bay, Gympie, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Ipswich.

Currently moderate rain is located on radar near Fraser Island and areas north
of Noosa, extending inland to near Gayndah.
Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
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QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain


QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rain
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Southeast Coast and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.
Issued at 4:50 am on Friday 24 February 2012

Synoptic Situation: An upper low is currently developing over southeast
Queensland, and is expected to move slowly westwards during the next 48 hours. A
surface trough off the southern Queensland coast is expected to deepen and move
westwards onto the coast late Friday.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected to develop late Friday
and continue through Saturday morning in the following forecast districts:
- Southeast Coast;
- Wide Bay and Burnett east of Hervey Bay to Kingaroy;
- far eastern parts of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt

24 hour rainfall totals of 100 to 150 mm are likely about the coast and nearby
ranges, with isolated rainfall totals in excess of 200mm possible.

Locations which may be affected include Fraser Island, Gympie, Kingaroy,
Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Warwick.

Flood Warnings are current for various rivers and streams in these districts;
see www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings.
Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:

* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
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QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds

Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:57 am Tuesday, 21 February 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Maroochydore, Gympie, Ipswich, Moreton Bay and islands, Kingaroy, Noosa and Taroom.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
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QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds


QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the
Southeast Coast and parts of the
Central Highlands and Coalfields,
Wide Bay and Burnett and
Darling Downs and Granite Belt Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:22 am Monday, 13 February 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Dalby, Maroochydore, Kingaroy and Stanthorpe.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
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QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds


QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Wide Bay and Burnett, Maranoa and Warrego, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.

Issued at 2:02 pm Sunday, 12 February 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Dalby, Coolangatta, Ipswich, Kingaroy, Stanthorpe, Boonah, Beenleigh, Oakey and Taroom.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

The next warning is due to be issued by 5:05 pm.

At 2:02 pm Sunday, 12 February 2012 a separate, more detailed Severe Thunderstorm Warning was current for the Southeast Queensland area (east of Dalby from Rainbow Beach to Stanthorpe). Refer to this product for more information.
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