{
  "id": 9021945,
  "title": "Consumers duped by price comparison websites, ASIC warns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/consumers-duped-by-price-comparison-websites-asic-warns",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-21T21:58:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-22/asic-price-comparison-websites-warning-misleading-consumers/107179656"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued a warning to consumers about deceptive practices by price comparison websites. The watchdog has launched multiple court actions against various websites for allegedly misleading consumers about the range of financial services and products offered, and in some cases, promoting multiple leads from a single brand. ASIC commissioner Alan Kirkland emphasized that consumers should conduct further research beyond just using comparison websites, as the products listed are often selected based on what the providers pay to the site, which may not provide a full market view. It's crucial for consumers to use multiple comparison sites to get a more comprehensive understanding of the market. A recent Federal Court case found that a price comparison site called Choosi misled consumers for four years by claiming to compare a wide range of funeral and life insurance policies, when in fact, all but one of the policies were distributed by a single company. The court has not yet set a penalty for Choosi, but an administrative hearing will be held soon. Another action was taken against Clark Family Pty Ltd, which was accused of misleading consumers by claiming to compare rates and options from multiple providers when in reality, consumers' inquiries were sold to the highest-bidding broker. The ASIC commissioner stressed that Australians must be vigilant about service agreements and not sign away their private data without fully understanding the implications. The warning comes as Australians grapple with rising cost-of-living pressures and high inflation. ASIC reiterated that it will take action against comparison sites found to be misleading consumers, emphasizing that consumers should be aware that their personal information may be sold to other businesses, potentially leading to unwanted marketing communications.",
  "summary": "Australians hunting bargains on comparison websites risk being duped by sites that only offer a selection of preferred providers.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}