Category Archives: Uncategorized

Rick Otton – What harm did he do?

Posted on November 16, 2018 by

The Federal Court has imposed record fines on Otton and his company for misleading his students and the public – but what harm was caused? Some of Otton’s students lost money, or were prosecuted by regulators, for using his strategies, … Continue reading →

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Hiring a car?   You’re driving uninsured!

Posted on July 18, 2018 by

‘Damage waiver” in car hire contracts isn’t insurance, doesn’t cover some types of accidents and can leave drivers exposed to huge bills Excess insurance may be of little, or no benefit, if the ‘damage waiver” doesn’t cover you While many … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Telemarketing, ‘Do Not Call’, and the The Property Investment Link 

Posted on February 25, 2016 by

Note: Optima Wealth Solutions is a property investment firm http://www.owealth.com.au which  shares a phone number with Optima Lending Solutions and Optima Homes.  It is not related to Optima Group, Optima Lending or Optima Wealth Management who do not use telemarketers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumer issues - general, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Shocked by education costs? – why anxiety about your child’s education can make you vulnerable

Posted on January 8, 2016 by

We are often reminded about the cost of educating our children at this time of year – not just because we’re paying for school books, uniforms and fees, but by media reports about the high costs of education. These cost estimates … Continue reading →

Posted in sales psychology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

When even a free extended warranty is overpriced

Posted on October 18, 2015 by

Consumer Action Law Centre recently warned about virtually worthless warranties that consumers sometimes purchase when taking out a loan or buying a car. If you have paid for a warranty, or any other type of “add-on insurance”  see how you … Continue reading →

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Consumer Guarantees and Used Cars

Posted on October 18, 2015 by

(This is not legal advice.  There are no written reasons for the VCAT decision so I am relying on notes I took during the hearing). A Victorian consumer recently received a full refund of the price he paid for a … Continue reading →

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Dodgy marketing of college courses

Posted on September 15, 2015 by

Over the last six months I’ve spent time on the phone with dodgy salespeople – I even had someone visit my home – to try to uncover which training college was at the bottom of misleading telemarketing calls. The marketing of … Continue reading →

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