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Insider Tips

How can we be of service? Let us count the ways. We actually mean service – unlike those who have promised it before and didn’t show up when it counted most. Consider these insider tips your key to consumer affairs.

Wanting a night out with friends? Keen to try something new? Do a quick Google search and up comes a bunch of restaurants nearby, one with far more positive reviews than the rest. But are they real? Fake reviews for everything from bakeries to dental services are abundant on the internet, and separating them from the real deal can take time and effort.

It’s hard to know exactly how many aren’t genuine, with estimates varying from about 10 percent to a third of all online reviews. Google is home to six times as many reviews as any other portal, even it has trouble keeping up. Last year the search engine said it removed 95 million reviews that did not meet its guidelines.

Australians love to stream. It's a love affair that grew while we were stuck at home during Covid. And one that shows no sign of abating, even if we’re spreading that love around a lot more.

Research firm Telsyte found that more than 75 percent of Australian households subscribe to at least one streaming video on demand (SVOD) service. There were 23.4 million subscriptions to June this year, one for almost every Australian, and rising. Telsyte predicts the figure to be more than 30 million within four years.

If you’re with Optus, chances are you have bigger concerns about your mobile plan than how to slice dollars off the next bill.

The telco is under pressure after it revealed that hackers had stolen data, including names, birth dates, passport and Medicare details, from about 10 million past and present Optus customers, putting them at risk of identity theft and fraud.

You've decided you want a new or near-new car. How exciting. So exciting, in fact, that it’s easy to get carried away and spend more than you intended. Especially when the smooth-talking salespeople at the car dealership know all the right things to say to help you do just that.

Don’t be tempted by all the extras they promise to throw in for a “great deal”. For most of us, a car is the second biggest investment we’ll make (after our house). It’s money you should be spending wisely. Chances are you don’t need those extras. Even if the dealer says they will take your driving experience to the next level.

Planning to have a baby? Pregnancy is an exciting time but also a nerve-wracking one. There is so much to think about, not the least of which is where to have your baby.

Australians are fortunate to have access to good health care. And most women will give birth in a public hospital, where the charges will be limited. But many opt for private hospitals because they believe it will be a better pregnancy experience, including the promise of a private room after the birth.

It’s one of the reasons women who are thinking about getting pregnant take a closer look at private health insurance. This might mean updating their existing policy to cover pregnancy and birth. Or taking it out for the first time specifically for that reason.