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Harvey Norman and Latitude Just Got Hit With a $55 Million Penalty. Were You One of the Customers They Misled?
The ACCC took Harvey Norman and Latitude Financial to court over a misleading advertising campaign. The Federal Court found the ads were deceptive. A $55 million penalty is on the table. That is not a slap on the wrist. That is the regulator saying, in dollar terms, that a lot of Australian consumers got lied to. If you signed up for a Latitude financial product after seeing Harvey Norman advertising, you need to read this right now.
What the law says
Under the Australian Consumer Law, businesses are prohibited from engaging in conduct that is misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive. They are also prohibited from making false or misleading representations about financial products and services. These are not soft guidelines. They are hard legal obligations. If a business breached those obligations and you suffered loss as a result, including signing up for a credit product you would not have taken on if you had been given accurate information, you may have a right to a remedy. The Australian Consumer Law sits inside the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). The ACCC enforcing a $55 million penalty is confirmation that the conduct was serious. Your rights as an individual consumer exist separately from that penalty. The penalty goes to the government. Your remedy is something you have to pursue yourself, or with help.
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screwtheman.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This page gives general information on consumer rights and dispute pathways. For complex legal matters, consult a qualified lawyer or the relevant regulator.