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368k Australians potentially eligible for Westpac class action: Are you one of them?
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368k Australians potentially eligible for Westpac class action: Are you one of them?
The Federal Court is set to notify 368,000 Australians that they might be eligible to join a consumer credit class action against the big four bank.
368k Australians potentially eligible for Westpac class action: Are you one of them?
The Federal Court is set to notify 368,000 Australians that they might be eligible to join a consumer credit class action against the big four bank.
Compensation firm Slater and Gordon is preparing to represent thousands of Westpac customers who may have been sold junk credit card and insurance of little or no value.
Some were sold insurance that they would have never been able to claim.
The firm claims that insurance was often sold to people with disabilities, who were not employed or who were chronically ill and therefore ineligible to claim. The class action further alleges that many people were led to believe that the insurance was compulsory or free, while others did not even know they had been sold it.
This is the second major bank Slater and Gordon has pursued over credit and insurance claims.
In late 2019 Slater and Gordon represented 50,000 NAB customers due to being mis-sold personal loan and credit insurance, with the plaintiffs collectively compensated $49.5 million.
Slater and Gordon practice group leader Andrew Paull said: “Today, 368,000 customers identified in Westpac’s database will receive a notice advising them of the class action, and that Westpac have been accused of contravening the law.”
“The notice will contain personalised information about the recipient, confirming the products they held, and when they purchased them,” Mr Paull said.
“We urge anyone who may have purchased credit card or personal loan insurance from Westpac to keep an eye out for this notice, and to sign up for the class action.”
Mr Paull said the letter would also give customers the option of opting out of the class action, if they wished.
“The banking royal commission exposed the blatant misbehaviour of the big banks, ripping off unsuspecting and trusting customers; this class action will hopefully get back the money taken from them when pressured into buying worthless products.”
Similar notices for the ongoing ANZ and Commonwealth Bank class actions over junk insurance are expected to be sent out in coming months.
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