Watchdog Eyes 140 'Scam' Websites, Including Genealogy Sites

The Australian consumer watchdog is investigating 141 Australian websites suspected of scamming the public following an international sweep of the internet conducted by consumer protection agencies yesterday.

The suspicious sites include those providing genealogy/family history services, online DNA testing, lotteries, premium mobile services and arbitrage betting providers, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said.

If the website operators are unable to substantiate their claims they will be forced to make modifications or take the sites down altogether.

"The law is the law. When dealing with traders operating in Australia, the same basic rights apply online as they do offline," ACCC deputy chairman Peter Kell said.

You can read more at http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/dot-cons-141-aussie-websites-targeted/2008/09/23/1221935618431.html and at http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/843633.

I wonder what they consider to be "basic rights" on the genealogy sites?

What I found amusing is that when I looked at that web page, a banner ad appeared at the top for a "get rich quick" web site. It said, "I'm Rich. You're Not. I Cracked The Code To Making Money. See How I Make $3 Million Per Year Doing Nothing, And How You Can Too." That advertisement is for a rather well-known scam, although not one based in Australia. Those banner ads at the top of the page will change most every time you look at that page so you may or may not see the same ad.

Comments

[JanetB]

I wish they'd named the sites, but I guess if they're suspected rather than shown, they did the prudent thing. Thanks for the caveat emptor warning, Dick!

I, too, find the ad amusing. I wanted to share that I didn't see the ad, thanks to my AdBlock add-on to FireFox. I love it and highly recommend it. It's free - I only discovered it recently but it works very well.

[IsraelP - Jerusalem]

I assume that the old saw "the innocent have nothing to fear" is relevant here.

[Roger Horgan]

The URL in Dick's article is for an online newspaper report. The original ACCC media release (which refers to body enhancement products, complementary medicines, work-from-home schemes, communication services and environmentally safe products, but not to genealogical web sites) is at:

http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/843633

[Bari]

Why aren't these sites posted in alphabetical order, for all to see?
Defefensive lawsuit threats attempting to utilize slander, are not alanderous, when they are in fact the truth. Let's protect the innocent and their pockets.

[Mal]

I paid $180 to a genealogy researcher (JOSEPH PLATT) from Derby, England to do some research for me and this JOSEPH PLATT couldn't even be bothered to report any findings. He had allot of impressive letters after his name, a real expert!!!! SO BEWARE!!!! This man is a FRUAD!!!!!