Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - The local Samsung Electronics branch was fined A$14 million ($9.65 million) by a court for making false...
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| Image: Reuters |
Berita 24 English - The local Samsung Electronics branch was fined A$14 million ($9.65 million) by a court for making false claims about a water-resistance feature in several of its cellphones, according to Australia's competition watchdog.
According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Samsung Australia acknowledged deceiving customers regarding the degree of water resistance in several of its "Galaxy" phones. In July 2019, the regulator filed a lawsuit against the business.
According to the regulator, the company advertised on social media and in-store displays between March 2016 and October 2018 that the phones could be used in swimming pools or the ocean.
However, the ACCC received hundreds of complaints from consumers who claimed that after being exposed to water, their smartphones stopped working altogether or just stopped working well.
It is claimed "promoted one of these Galaxy phones' key selling points. Before deciding to buy a new phone, many customers who bought a Galaxy phone may have been exposed to the deceptive advertisements, "said Gina Cass-Gottlieb, chair of the ACCC.
A request for comment from Reuters was not immediately answered by Samsung.
$1 is equal to 1.4512 Australian dollars.
