Optus Faces $100 Million Fine for Unconscionable Sales to Vulnerable Australians

ACCC says victims included people who were homeless, disabled, had mental health issues, or faced language and financial literacy barriers.

A man walk past an Optus store in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 26, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Optus has agreed to pay a $100 million penalty (US$65 million)—the largest of its kind in Australian telecommunications history—after the consumer watchdog found it sold mobile plans to disadvantaged Australians it knew couldn’t afford them.

The Federal Court will now decide whether to approve the fine, which follows an extensive investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).