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The investigation reviewed the data from just over 8,000 financial hardship complaints received between July 2018 and March 2021. Most complaints were from consumers who said they were financially vulnerable or that their provider was not taking enough action to support consumers experiencing vulnerability. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), providing agreement on how the two parties will share information on compliance with consumer law and systemic issues. 

A new pilot program is aiming to make it easier for vulnerable consumers to complain to Ombudsman services. Launching this month is the “Partnership Transfer Project”, a joint initiative of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman welcomes today’s announcement about enforcement action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in relation to misleading telemarketing practices about transitioning to the NBN by BVivid.

BVivid has paid $25,200 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with two infringement notices.

In response to the governance recommendations released in part A report of the Telecommunications Consumer Safeguards Review, the Board of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is seeking stakeholder responses to an Options Paper on possible amendments to the Constitution of TIO Limited.

The importance of consumers fighting fraud at home is the theme of this year’s National Consumer Fraud Week.

Fraud Week, which runs from 7 to 13 March, is an initiative of the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. For the third year running, the TIO is a partner of the taskforce, which comprises 21 government regulatory agencies and departments with responsibility for consumer protection regarding frauds and scams.