The proliferation of online scams has significantly increased the chances of Australians falling victim to fraud, and it is the focus for the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce’s (ACFT) 2010 Fraud Week campaign.
The campaign Online Offensive—Fighting Fraud Online runs from 1-7 March.
ACCC activities planned for Fraud Week include the release of the first ACCC scams activity report (Monday 1 March) and new information for small businesses on how they can protect themselves from scams (Wednesday 3 March).
The aim of the ACFT is to reduce the incidence and impact of fraud and scams. Each year it creates a co-ordinated information campaign for consumers, timed to coincide with the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN) Global Consumer Fraud Prevention Month. ICPEN is currently chaired by the ACCC.
The ACFT's work is greatly assisted by a growing number of government, business and community group partners.
Formed in March 2005 the ACFT, which is chaired by ACCC deputy chair Peter Kell, involves 21 government agencies from Australia and New Zealand with responsibility for consumer protection regarding frauds and scams.
Australian Government partners
Attorney-General’s Department
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (Chair)
Australian Federal Police
Australian Institute of Criminology
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Australian Taxation Office
Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
New Zealand Government
NZ Commerce Commission
Ministry of Consumer Affairs
State and Territory Governments
Australian Capital Territory - ACT Office of Regulatory Services
New South Wales - Office of Fair Trading
Northern Territory - Consumer Affairs (Department of Justice)
Queensland - Office of Fair Trading
South Australia - Office of Consumer and Business Affairs
Tasmania - Office of Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading
Victoria - Consumer Affairs Victoria
Western Australia - Department of Commerce
Representative of the State and Territory Police Commissioners
New South Wales Police Service
As well as the ACFT agencies, in 2010 more than 115 public, private and community sector partners will participate in Fraud Week by providing information to staff, stakeholders and customers via websites and media activities.
Some of the partners include Microsoft, Myspace.com, eBay Australia, Symantec, Telstra, Sensis, Betfair and the Australian Telecommunications User Group.
