The Federal Court has fined now-defunct online business directory service ABG Pages $300,000 for breaches of consumer laws, which included calling one customer 993 times over nine months.
The breaches include engaging in systemic unconscionable conduct, undue harassment, and making false and misleading representations in relation to ABG's online advertising services.
The court also fined ABG's sole director, Michele McCullough, $40,000 and disqualified her from managing corporations for five years.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says ABG Pages and Ms McCullough had admitted to falsely representing that large businesses purchased their directory services, misleading businesses into entering contracts, refusing to cancel contracts which customers did not want and did not intend to enter into, and refusing to accept customers' attempts to cancel contracts.
"ABG Pages took advantage of businesses, big and small, schools and local Indigenous land councils, with some organisations paying up to $9,000 each year for advertising in an online business directory they did not want and that had no value," ACCC deputy chair Dr Michael Schaper said on Tuesday.
"ABG Pages used high-pressure sales tactics to sell listings in its online business directory and harassed staff chasing debts that didn't exist - one customer was called 993 times by ABG Pages over a nine-month period."
Share
