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This week
IN THE NEWS: Meta in the spotlight for scams actions, Optus sale rumours circulate, and further 3G shutdown reminders for regional customers
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Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones has sent a warning to Meta (parent company of Facebook) while at the Global Fraud Summit in London this week. With the government and Meta also engaged in a feud concerning the News Media Bargaining Code, Jones questioned why Meta can’t be doing more to prevent scams and fraud occurring on its platforms. Data from NAB earlier this month showed that buying and selling scams had increased by nearly 80% in Q2 23-24, with many of these occurring via Facebook Marketplace. [The New Daily]
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The telco rumour mill has been churning this week with news that Singtel is in advanced talks to sell Optus first reported in the Australian Financial Review (paywall). Shares of Optus’ parent company Singtel entered a trading halt after a sharp rise following this report. In a response to the Singapore stock exchange, on which Singtel trades, the company denied that there was an “impending deal” to sell the nation’s second largest telco and reaffirmed its long term commitment to the Australian market. [ITNews]
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This ABC article features the stories of several telco customers who have been caught out by the 3G network shutdown, which in Telstra’s case will be fully exited by this year. The article contains important tips and reminders that consumers need to be mindful of, including a list of the most used 3G-only devices that will soon be unable to make or receive phone calls. [ABC]
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The National Anti-Scam Centre has released its update for the Oct-Dec 2023 quarter. It shows that reported losses from scams are now trending downwards from a high point in 2022, and that year-on-year progress is positive. Compared with the same quarter in 2022, the report notes a 43% decrease in losses to all scams, with an average reported loss of $1,224. While these trends may be cause for cautious optimism there remains much work to be done, with actual losses likely to be much higher than the $82 million reported for the quarter. [ACCC]
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The government is seeking feedback on the design of an SMS Sender ID Registry, an important step in stopping text message impersonation scams. This registry, if made mandatory, will help reduce the incidence of successful scam activity and minimise losses to consumers and businesses. By participating in a simple survey, you can help shape policies that protect both consumers and businesses from losing out to fraudulent activities. Find out more about the issue and have your say via the link above. [DITRDCA]
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ACCAN staff, including Acting CEO Gareth Downing, will be in Melbourne on and around March 20th for Financial Counselling Victoria’s 2024 Summit: The Changing Face of Hardship. We will have a booth at the event – if you’re at the Summit, come by and say hello! [FCVIC]
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This article from Forbes Australia offers a concise summary of low earth orbit satellite (LEOSat) communications, including the benefits that Starlink, the first entrant into the Australian market, has brought for customers in regional and remote areas in particular. It also covers technical limitations, including the requirement for companies to regularly replace satellites, supplier lock-in and performance standards. [Forbes Australia]
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Consumers seeking a break, escape or detox from social media have in recent years driven increased interest in ’dumbphones’ – phones which can make calls and texts, but do not have native social media applications. This ABC article shows that some consumers, even younger ones, are switching, or considering switching, their smartphones for more basic devices. Despite niche hype, national data shows that smartphones continue to dominate, with take-up rising from 96.5% to 98.1% of all phone types between 2019 and 2023. [ABC]
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As previously advised, ACCAN’s CEO Andrew Williams, finished with the organisation on 1 March. Recruitment for Andrew’s successor is well underway and is expected to be finalised soon. In the interim, ACCAN’s Deputy CEO, Dr Gareth Downing, has been appointed Acting CEO until the process is finalised. [ACCAN]
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Nine News reports that a widespread Vodafone outage affected many areas of the country late Wednesday afternoon, with some customers unable to make or receive phone calls, or use mobile data, during the peak hour rush. DownDetector received a peak of more than 11,000 outage reports about Vodafone coverage after 4pm. Vodafone acknowledged the outage and issued an apology to affected customers. [Nine News]
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