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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-03-05 Daily Xml
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FRAUD FORTNIGHT

Mr O'BRIEN (Napier) (15:13): Will the Minister for Consumer Affairs inform the house about Fraud Fortnight and the upcoming World Consumer Rights Day?

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Volunteers, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting in Early Childhood Development) (15:13): Fraud Fortnight is being run in conjunction with the Australasian Consumer Fraud Task Force and highlights some of the many scams that people should avoid. It commenced on 24 February and will run through until 8 March. Its purpose is to increase awareness about deceptive and seductive scams. Scams are designed solely to trick people into giving away their money or personal details so that these people can dip their fingers in their bank accounts. In fact, it is estimated that in the last financial year South Australians parted with around $1 million.

In the first week of the scams campaign there was a focus on seduction scams, where people are seduced by great offers that a scammer never intends to deliver.

Mr Bignell: Liberal preselection!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Liberal promises, yes. Well, there have been a few of those. These false offers can include large inheritances, a new love interest or a supposed lottery win. The focus this week has been on various types of deceptive scams which involve criminals purporting to be from legitimate companies. They might claim to be calling from a bank, a charity, or even a government organisation, saying that a person's money is at risk but can be rectified simply by providing a few personal details, which inevitably ends in disaster for the victim.

Over the Fraud Fortnight period Consumer Affairs officers will be distributing the new Little Black Book of Scams and they will also be handed out today under the canopy in Rundle Mall, where officers have been available to answer questions as people make their way through the mall. Scammers contact their victims in a variety of ways—mail, email, telephone, over the internet, and door to door. They use all available technology to swindle people, and they are difficult for the police to track down.

Following on from Fraud Fortnight is World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March. This day, which has an international focus, is held each year to mark the declaration of the eight basic consumer rights, including safety, satisfaction of basic needs, education, redress, a healthy environment, to be informed, to choose, and to be heard. The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs is using this day to promote its consumer protection role and encourage consumers to understand and assert their rights.

The message is simple for consumers: if in doubt don't give your details out and always be sceptical of offers that sound to be too good to be true because they usually are. South Australians are becoming more savvy. In the latest annual report of Consumer Affairs, the number of complaints registered about scams has fallen by more than 450, compared with the previous year. I understand there is about a 22 per cent drop. If people become aware of a scam they should contact the Office of Consumer Affairs, and always be alert about unsolicited approaches.

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