Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce

The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, established in March 2005, is composed of 18 Government regulatory agencies and departments who have a remit for consumer protection in relation to frauds and scams.

The purpose of the ACFT is to work together to enhance the Australian and New Zealand Governments’ enforcement activity against frauds and scams, to create a yearly co-ordinated information campaign for consumers timed to coincide with Global Consumer Fraud Prevention Month and to also involve the private sector in that initiative, and to share information and generate greater interest in research on consumer frauds and scams.

The Taskforce, chaired by Louise Sylvan, the Deputy Chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, is operating in three focussed subgroups: 

1) Outreach Subgroup, formerly chaired by Commissioner Berna Collier of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, is creating the overall message and program of co-ordinated outreach by the members;

2) “Stop It” Subgroup, chaired by Anthony Wing, Manager of the Anti–Spam Team of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, is tasked with developing innovative and co-ordinated approaches to a) preventing fraud and scam messages from reaching consumers whether these originate by mail, phone or email and b) where scams and frauds do get through, preventing the money paid by consumers from leaving Australia.

3) Research Subgroup, chaired by Dr Russell Smith, Principal Criminologist of the Australian Institute of Criminology, is tasked with raising the profile of consumer fraud in terms of developing, commissioning and conducting research into the problem.

The members are: 

Australian Government
Attorney General’s Department
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (Chair)
Australian Institute of Criminology
Australian Securities & Investment Commission
Australian Federal Police (represented by the Australian High Tech Crime Centre)
Department of Communications, Information Technology & the Arts

New Zealand Government
NZ Commerce Commission
Ministry of Consumer Affairs 

State and Territory Governments

Australian Capital Territory – Office of Fair Trading

Consumer Affairs Victoria

New South Wales – Office of Fair Trading

Northern Territory – Department of Justice

Queensland  – Department of Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development

South Australia – Office of Consumer & Business Affairs

Tasmania – Office of Consumer Affairs & Fair Trading

Western Australia – Department of Consumer & Employment Protection