BFCSA Blog

In 2009 I spoke with FOS again and they told me they were starting to use Maladministration in Lending to deal with issues I had raised.  We told Members to state “Maladministration in Lending on all complaints where the loan was unaffordable from day one, in line with S 25.1 of the Bankers Code.”  This was pre the new NCCP  laws......why?  We had the old laws to protect consumers from predatory lending and bad lending practices such as forgery and fraud on Loan Application Forms, and Unconcionable Conduct 2001 and Maladministration in lending, and asset lending etc....................................plenty of LAWS for ASIC to play with and for FOS to use: an arsenal of weaponry against the banks and their dodgy lending products. Banks had breached the Code at all levels of approval of loans.  Most of these loans ought to have been rejected...............................hence the complaints.  Most 30 year loans would by necessity  of structure implode within 3-5 years.  But these products made...

Dear members It really disturbs me to see how many younger people with families are coming to the site. I know there was no age barrier as long as you had a mortgage and a bit of equity in the home for the banksters agents to target us. Our dodgy broker( A former bankster employee) went it alone once he realised how much money could be made by being the bankster front man. In hindsight the thing that annoys me is a large proportion of the borrowers worked menial jobs in a poultry processing plant on base wages and never entertained the thought of investing because they thought it was beyond their means. Our broker had an ace up his sleeve, he had an insider who knew everybody inside the plant and she did the initial spruiking to convince people they could invest. Of course she was getting commission on everyone...

Dear members One of the advantages of being medically retired is we have time to spare, it wasn't planned that way but life doesn't run according to plans.We envisaged in retirement to do the grey nomad thing and travel around Australia by towing a van, we were financially secure and owned everything. Our plans would revolve around my health but we knew if any thing happened while travelling that I would be looked after being covered by DVA. We only invested because a work colleague who was getting spotter fee's unbeknown to us, steered a broker our way, he played the old you can't help your kids physically but financially you have equity locked up in your home not working for you, and like the rest of you the rest is history we had fallen for the spiel. The internet has opened up a whole new world of information to us,...

BFCSA have lobbied long and hard for an Inquiry into ASIC, calling for one in 2001 as RECA.  Greg Medcraft Chairman of Australian Securities and Investment Commission, and also Chairman of IOSCO (International Org of Security Chiefs) has hit back at his critics of which our members are staunch by experience in their criticism of ASIC.   In fairness, we are happy to record Mr Medcraft's views of his own leadership and staff.  We do note however, that a boast of recovering $345 million, is embarrassing as over $400 million was lost in Westpoint, which ASIC sat on like a Mother Hen and did nothing for five years until its collapse.  It also fails to quantify the absolute losses ASIC has recorded as being well over $80 Billion, whilst ASIC slept.   Medcraft boasts that ASIC has banned 168 people in 3 years.....no LENDERS MENTIONED.   No criminal charges to assist in...

Treasurer Joe Hockey is not the only one with a close family member ripped off by Banks.  There are others.  We are planning a big contingent of people to Canberra in November.  Every victim will want to be front row to hear Australian Securities and Investment Commission's lame duck excuses for seeing all and doing nothing.    BFCSA voices will inspire the timid and embarrassed to also come forward.  Anyone wish to arrange a bus from Sydney?  Talk to me.  Dates have not been set as yet.  We will keep you posted.   Meanwhile FOS (Financial Ombudsman's Service) is closing files where loans were arranged in 2006 or earlier.  Statute of Limitations can only apply from when people "were aware of the affability issue."    FOS would not be able to get away with such nonsense in a court of law, but then this is a game to assist Banks.....................   Statute of Limitations for...

Not True!  But it should be and here is why.  Coles and Woollies have been predatory in their behaviour in pushing down the prices paid to farmers and then boast "cheaper" products but The Bully Boys C&W profit continues to climb!  We sold off our utilities, we are selling off our farms and squeezing farmers out of a decent living, we have sold off all our viable income streams and permitted TELSTRA to gouge everyone.  We have ignored small business cries for understanding and we have ZERO INCOME STREAMS LEFT.  The "lucky for some country" is what we have become.  Can we all now wake up and smell the roses.  Politicians are not on your side.......................but they do run our country.  Its the majority of we the people that need to become more vocal and active in campaigning for better decisions to be made.  Both sides of the political divide have...

YOUR SUBMISSION TO THE SENATE INQUIRY is vital.  If you ignore this Inquiry there will be no reason to hold a Royal Commission into the Banking Sector.  Then the banks will move in with a united rush! Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. “YES SENT Submission” in address bar and email to us.  We are counting heads. Rate ASIC’s Performance on what if they had investigated all those cases they did receive and as a result ASIC gave public warnings – would you have been aware of the dangers and not fallen into the mess you are all in right now?  Senators want to know how you feel about that. Eg:  If you were travelling on a highway and the bridge had collapsed and there was no warning “Bridge Collapse – STOP IMMEDIATELY “ and you continued around the bend and over the cliff into 200m ravine…..would your family be upset? If Government KNEW...

Senator blasts ‘snail’s pace’ ASIC ban Written by Aleks Vickovich  Wednesday, 17 July 2013   Source: http://www.ifa.com.au/news/12113-senator-blasts-snail-s-pace-adviser-ban ASIC’s banning of a former Bell Potter adviser convicted of deceptive conduct in April is proof the corporate regulator is reacting too slowly to cases of wrongdoing, says a coalition Senator. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issued a statement yesterday indicating it had issued former Bell Potter Securities client adviser Lawson Stuart Donald with a permanent ban from financial services, following his conviction for dishonest conduct in the Sydney District Court on April 26. Speaking to ifa, NSW Nationals Senator John Williams – who was instrumental in forcing a parliamentary inquiry into the Commonwealth Financial Planning affair – said the three-month time frame between Mr Donald’s conviction and ban confirms his concerns about ASIC’s ability to monitor wrongdoing in the financial advice industry. “ASIC has got the power to ban people immediately,...