Like any other business, public safety is vital in the fashion and beauty industry. Last week, we looked at the counterfeit make-up products being sold by some traders in our marketplace and the far reaching consequences of using them on our skin. On one hand, it enhances your beauty and on the other, it poses […]

We all want to look beautiful and presentable. Cosmetics can be a quick an easy way to temporarily solve beauty problems of an individual.  For that most people don’t mind spending money on cosmetics which has made cosmetic and make-up business a multi-billion dollar industry. However, not all consumers know that fake or counterfeit make-up […]

Owning a car is becoming easy with more second-hand dealers setting up showrooms and with financial institutions opening up their doors making credit accessibility easier. Many consumers are making the most of it by investing into a used vehicle. All looks so good until getting a first breakdown few days or weeks after the purchase. […]

Road safety is a global concern. For Fiji, where road death toll is alarming, there is more reason for the nation to work together to curb the deaths on our roads. A total of 25 lives have been lost so far this year compared to 32 in the same period last year. These deaths have […]

With more consumers becoming tech-savvy and the growing interest in online shopping and banking, it is important to be aware of the pitfalls and little traps existing in the cyberspace with fraudsters ready to prey on them. One such example is phishing email or a message sent to you in a bid to swaddle money. […]

Everyone wants to own a house. Those who can afford a home loan can obtain a package from their bank, in a move to make their dreams come true. Many times, not all borrowers have a sound understanding about the different financial products offered by the respective banks. For some, it takes a while in […]

An encounter with a bailiff is not always pleasant.  For some consumers, bailiffs can be a nightmare, especially, when they turn aggressive and their presence becomes threatening. A bailiff is authorized by law or Magistrate to act as an “officer of court”.  A bailiff can collect debt, a fine or carry out an eviction for the landlord. […]

How many of you have experienced a situation, where you have to wait for years to get the transfer of property shares done under mortgage or simply getting documents discharged from the financial institution. Many consumers have been left frustrated as some financial service- providers drag their feet when it comes to delivering service on […]

The whole world came crashing down for Ramesh, a salesman when one fine afternoon, his landlord asked him to vacate the two-bedroom flat he had been renting for a while. Being the breadwinner, sustaining cost of living for his two children, wife and an aging mother was already a struggle. The consolation he had was […]

Getting hit with an unexpected medical bill is sometimes more unpleasant than falling ill. Have you ever come across a situation where after receiving a medical treatment from your doctor, you were simply out-of-pocket? To many consumers, a hefty medical bill comes as a surprise when there is no pre-disclosure about the fees and they […]

Many  consumers these days are becoming tech-savvy using  internet for  banking, shopping, paying bills and purchasing airline tickets, etc. Life has become easy but on the flip-side, we are getting exposed to technologically-driven crimes. Some consumers have been targeted by foreign hackers who obtained bank account details from people via emails, social networks, text messages […]

Health remains a top agenda for consumers again this year. Consumer movements are once again joining together to mark the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), celebrated globally on 15 March. The theme is related to tackling a major international public health crisis, which is caused by Antimicrobial/Antibiotic Resistance (AMR). The Global consumer movement, Consumers International […]

The world continues to see an increase in fraudulent transactions with credit card hackers targeting banks using internet. This trend is particularly worrying as more and more people are choosing the convenience of online banking.  Financial service providers make their systems as secure as possible but hackers and certain technological hiccups give rise to fraud […]

Disagreements, disputes and conflicts are just inevitable. The worst bit about such a situation is that when relationships are strained and deals turn sour, it is difficult to mend the bridges between the parties. Many a times, the disputes end up in court. But then again, not everyone can afford a traditional lawsuit. As a […]

Consumers must always know what they are paying for when    billed for    services they have sought. Hence, the service-provider must provide the customer a clear, transparent and itemized bill or invoice  Every now and then, frustrated consumers   contact the Council regarding ambiguous or unclear bills/invoices given by some businesses which consumers cannot understand. The question […]