Optus to pay $100m fine over ‘appalling’ exploitation of hundreds of Aussies
Beleaguered telco Optus has been slugged with a whopping $100m fine for exploiting hundreds of vulnerable Australians through what a court has described as “predatory” and “appalling” conduct.
The penalty was handed down in the Federal Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Between 2019 and 2023, the telco pushed sales on 400 vulnerable Australians by selling them products they did not want or need, or could not use or afford.
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Many impacted were Indigenous Australians from regional and remote parts of the country.
Some lived with a mental disability, diminished cognitive capacity or learning difficulties, were financially dependent or unemployed and possessed limited financial literacy.
After the Australian Competition and Consumer Competition (ACCC) took Optus to court, the company admitted to the breach and agreed to the proposed penalty.
More to come.
Originally published as Optus to pay $100m fine over ‘appalling’ exploitation of hundreds of Aussies
