Tag Archives: oceania

Sensitive files exposed after Optus duplicated Melbourne woman's number

A Melbourne woman has been left devastated after her number was duplicated by Optus, exposing sensitive files to a stranger.

Sarah, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, thought she was safe keeping her original number after switching to a new service provider from Optus in May.

However, that soon changed last week, when she was notified her number had been given to a new Optus customer.

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"I received a text saying, 'Hello', with the name of person, 'thank you for your new purchase with Optus'," she said.

"I found it quite suspicious. I found that they sold my number to a new customer."

Sarah, who is a healthcare worker, said the new customer had commandeered her WhatsApp account, exposing sensitive images and information, including a video of her giving birth.

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"I lost access to my WhatsApp. It shut down," Sarah said.

"It contained very personal photos of my children and I became distressed that someone had access to that.

"It's pretty terrifying. I felt violated.

"I am still locked out of it and can't get back in."

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After getting in contact with Optus, Sarah said it was difficult to get any answer or form of reply about the incident.

"Optus hadn't contacted me," she said.

"I called them quite distressed and I got onto someone and they found my case but they didn't have the authority to do anything about it.

"That was extremely frustrating.

"My number is also attached to a number of different verification tools and I was getting worried about our finances.

"It wasn't until I started firing off emails to Optus executives did I have someone call me."

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The 29-year-old has also received text messages from the other person's family, notifying her about messages she was meant to receive.

"It's a shambles," she said.

"I asked if I would be compensated and they said they would give me a $100 cheque, which I still haven't received."

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An Optus spokesperson said it was aware of the incident and was working to fix the issue.

"We have reached out to the customer to apologise and rectify the situation," the spokesperson said.

"We regret that on this occasion a customer's experience hasn't met the high standards that Optus strives to achieve for our customers."

Four men to stand trial over missing Brisbane man's murder

Family members of a man last seen nearly two years ago cried as a court was told of his bloodied face while being assaulted in a transport depot.

Lachlan Griffiths was last seen alive in the Brisbane CBD on January 16, 2022 before his mother reported the 35-year-old missing on Australia Day that year.

Detectives believe Griffiths was taken by car to the Coopers Plains depot but are yet to find his remains.

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Billy Lee Bornstein, Filip Grbavac, David Lee Tan and Francescos Sebastian Giorgi were committed on Wednesday to face a murder trial over Griffiths' death, following a two-day hearing in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Hoa "Jack" Chanh told the court he heard banging from downstairs when he woke in a bedroom at the depot before sunrise on January 17.

Downstairs he saw Grbavac punch Griffiths who was on the ground while Tan was in the same room doing nothing, Chanh said.

The 30-year-old told the court he could see blood on Griffiths' face and on Grbavac's fists and clothes.

"I was pretty shocked," he added.

After returning upstairs Chanh said he heard one scream before leaving the warehouse where a trucking business operated.

Before the alleged assault Chanh was looking for Tan's wife after the couple had an argument, he told the court.

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He said Tan was angry and intended to leave for Sydney.

Asked by defence counsel if he saw a fire in a drum at the depot on the day of the alleged assault, Chanh said could barely remember what happened yesterday.

But he remembered the traumatic things he saw that night, he said.

Counsel for the men conceded at the end of the committal hearing on Wednesday there was a case for all four to answer.

Magistrate Ross Mack committed them to stand trial on a murder charge in the Brisbane Supreme Court on a date yet to be set.

Aussies claim their vet bills are too expensive, sparking fierce debate

Australian pet owners have claimed their vet bills are outrageously expensive, sparking a heated debate on radio.

Caller Jenny told 2GB's Chris O'Keefe she had to re-finance her home when her dog Alfie died because her vet bills hit $15,000 and became "too much".

She thought they had pet insurance but her coverage was not enough.

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Sad dog at the vet

Another caller Nicole told 2GB her family had a cat that cost them $10,500 in vet bills in two days.

She couldn't get insurance because the cat was 15 years old and described the vet prices as "crazy".

A heated debate then broke out between 2GB host Chris O'Keefe and a veterinarian, who came on the show to defend the industry.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-drive-program/have-your-say-are-vet-bills-actually-sane/embed

Vet Lindsay said she was appauled to be called a thief on radio.

"I run of veterinary practice and the idea that vets are ripping people off and are earning a lot of money is just not true," Lindsay told O'Keefe.

"I have in 50 years never handed a bill to one of my clients for more than say $5000.

"These examples come from specialist hospitals where the overheads are extraordinary."

You can listen to the full interview above.

Two women hit by debris as storms bear down on Queensland

Two women have been struck by debris after a storm destroyed a home north of Brisbane this afternoon.

A woman in her 60s and a woman in her 70s were treated for facial injuries after they were injured at the property in Winya just before 3pm.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said the women have been taken to Caboolture Hospital in a stable condition.

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Severe thunderstorms threaten to bring damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall to parts of the Queensland's south-east.

It comes as severe thunderstorms threaten to bring damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall to parts of the state's south-east, with Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast potentially in the firing line.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson said the weather system is likely to affect these areas on Wednesday and Thursday with storms likely in the afternoon and evenings.

"Very isolated but dangerous severe thunderstorms with giant hail and destructive winds are possible about the Scenic Rim on Thursday afternoon," the spokesperson said.

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"Severe thunderstorm activity will continue to be possible on Friday while extending into parts of central Queensland, with focus areas highly dependent on the timing of a cooler southeasterly wind change.

Two earlier severe thunderstorm warnings have been cancelled, including a warning covering the Wide Bay, Burnett and Southeast Coast forecast districts and another covering the Somerset, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay council areas.

"Warnings will continue to be updated as we go through the afternoon and evening," the spokesperson said.