Unwelcome surprise for former Sage student lodging tax return
Former students of the failed Sage Institute of Fitness remain in limbo, yet some have been called on to repay student loans this tax time.
Consumer Affairs
Doctors urge ending e-cigarettes ban to extend lives
Australia's psychiatrists have broken ranks with the medical fraternity and begun calling on the government to lift the ban on e-cigarettes.
Glitter and 'youthful looks' called out in Vodka Cruiser ad
Liquor brands will think twice about using models with "youthful looks" in their advertising.
Melbourne couple receive $26,000 from ATO, but it's not theirs
Members of the public have received tax refunds to the tune of thousands of dollars without having lodged tax returns, raising suspicions of fraudulent activity being conducted in their names.
Fancy buying your chicken from a rusty trolley?
Bakeries, seafood and meat stores, sushi and pizza joints all made their way on to the food safety "name and shame" register.
Nearly 20,000 Australians caught up in Bupa data breach
Bupa's international health insurance arm was hit by a malicious act in its UK office, putting the private information of almost 20,000 Australian customers in danger.
'Mum had no idea': Jenny trapped with $1m in loans
The Low family is facing an uphill battle against Suncorp bank over a loan that deemed to be "irresponsibly" lent.
First Woolworths, then Coles announces the end of plastic bags
Supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles have announced that its stores across Australia will stop giving out single-use plastic bags over the next 12 months.
'Health insurance is so complex it's become toxic'
Spend an hour comparing health insurance policies and you'll find yourself slumped over your keyboard, exhausted by all the options and confusing jargon.
'Human error:' Flight Centre mistakenly releases passport details
The passport details of Flight Centre customers have been mistakenly released to a group of third party developers.
'Nothing new' about lead contamination in kitchen taps: expert
An environmental contaminants expert says alleged lead contamination found in a kitchen tap is "nothing new".
Aldi investigates lead-contaminated tap with 'urgency'
German discounter Aldi is investigating "with utmost urgency," reports that a kitchen tap it sold last month emitted water containing up to 15 times the maximum allowable level of lead.
Acquire's $25m loans to shareholders under spotlight
Administrators of collapsed vocational education company Acquire Learning are investigating $25 million in loans to shareholders and a business run by managing director John Wall.
From the '70s to 2017, consumer rorts haven't changed much
In a lifetime dedicated to consumer affairs, NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe has seen it all.
Three-quarters of public mistakenly believe coconut oil is healthy
If your daily diet includes orange juice, coconut oil and a muesli bar, don't expect a tick of approval from a nutritionist.
Insurance industry addresses mental health
Travel insurance policies that have long contained blanket exclusions for mental health conditions have been revised by some of Australia's largest insurance providers.
Hundreds of women launch class action against Johnson & Johnson
More than 700 women suffering strong pain from vaginal mesh implants have launched a class action.
'A living nightmare': Hundreds of women take health giant to court
Gai Thompson is in no doubt about the significance of the first day of a landmark Australian court case by more than 700 women against Johnson & Johnson that starts on Tuesday.
Tiny, 'potentially toxic' needles found in baby formula
Looking at the soft, white powder in a baby formula tin, you wouldn't think there were strange, potentially toxic needles lurking inside.
Norm feels 'vindicated' in fight against 'cruel policy'
A court has found NSW Trustee and Guardian had no authority to impose a scheme on private managers that forced some to pay thousands of dollars.
Cybercrime evolving faster than authorities can keep up with
QUT cybercrime expert says victims of online fraud often don't realise they have been victimised.
College that gave free laptops misleading and unconscionable
Unique International College made false or misleading representations and engaged in behaviour amounting to unconscionable conduct, the Federal Court has found.
Polaris 'lied' about asbestos recall: whistleblower
A recall of Polaris children's quad bikes containing asbestos-laden parts affects more vehicles than reported, a company whistleblower claims.
Electronics store operator sentenced to jail after contempt of court
The former operator of two online electronics stores has been sentenced to three months in prison.
Upon seeing the deserted office Samuel knew 'something was up'
A court has found Get Qualified Australia misled consumers, but for former clients it won't change the fact they are still out of pocket.
Pair charged over barbecue, gym equipment sale scam
Two Latvian nationals accused of running fake trader websites that scammed more than 200 people out of $250,000 have been charged.
Training organisation 'took advantage of' 5000 vulnerable students
"Get Qualified took advantage of vulnerable people wanting to better their careers," said ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court.
The trouble with Tony the Tiger and the Paddle Pop Lion
More than half of kids' foods featuring cartoons have been found to be unhealthy, prompting fresh calls for such cartoons to be restricted.
Why we won't let our mobile phones pass into the afterlife
The 23 million unused devices burning a whole in Australia's desk drawers.
iPhone storage almost full? It's not just you
If you feel like your storage is filling up faster than it used to, you may be on to something.