![]()
The annual International Internet Sweep of dodgy websites has thrown up a few problems sites says the ACC
Yearly results from this year’s International Internet Sweep underscore the need for continued consumer vigilance, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Peter Kell has warned.
“Results indicate that online ticketing has emerged as an area of concern,” Kell said. “In this year’s Sweep, the ACCC identified an unauthorised site offering tickets for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa at www.worldcupticketing.com. The ACCC is working with FIFA and MATCH Services to protect Australian consumers from such sites. MATCH Services is FIFA’s agent for Cup ticketing and looks after the ticketing enforcement program. The only way consumers can buy a ticket is through the FIFA ticket allocation or from a licensed tour operator authorised to sell tickets on FIFA’s behalf as part of a travel package.”
Kell said that while ticketing sites have almost ended long queues, they have also opened up a new avenue for fraudsters and suspect business operators offer tickets to events with no guarantee that they can deliver, leaving buyers empty handed when the occasion arrives.
The annual Internet Sweep also highlighted other areas of concern including:
- a proliferation of business opportunities marketed as ‘recession proof’ and a way to a substantial income with limited effort
- unsubstantiated health claims and cures, and
- sports investment sites that promise easy returns.
The Internet Sweep is coordinated by the ACCC as part of its work within the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), a network of consumer protection law enforcement authorities from more than 40 countries.
