Latest news with #IanWilliams
ABC News
13-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Meet the pensioner taking NAB to Supreme Court over $1,338 in fraudulent transactions
It was a cool, grey spring morning in 2022 when Ian Williams woke up and discovered two transactions on his account he did not make. "I was sitting on the toilet and checking through my bank account, as you do," he said. One was for $515, the other was $823. They had been made a few days earlier at a Coles supermarket in Bundoora, about 150 kilometres from his regional Victorian home in Bendigo. He called the bank and was told to wait while staff investigated. Two hours later, he said, a customer service representative from uBank, a subsidiary of National Australia Bank (NAB), called him back and said, according to the bank's payment data, the transactions had been made using Williams's Google Pay account. "They said that I was guilty, I was responsible. I was personally at Coles to do the transactions with my phone and my thumbprint." That was an accusation he would never let go. Two and half years later, Williams was outside the Supreme Court in Melbourne. He'd just learnt he could be in line to win more than $300 million in his case against the bank over the fraud. After months of scrolling through codes, acts, and case law to represent himself in the most David and Goliath of cases, the bank hadn't shown up at court, and a judge had found in his favour. All that had to be decided was how much money he'd get for his trouble. Then, just as the scales were starting to tip his way, the bank's legal team came storming in. When NAB told Williams he was responsible for the missing $1,338 on that cool spring morning back in 2022, he wasted little time trying to prove them wrong. His maps app showed he never left Bendigo, his sleep app indicated he was asleep close to the time the transactions went through. He had call and text logs to prove a friend of his was headed over for a cuppa that morning. When that wasn't enough, he visited his local police station, filled out a fraud pack, made a statement, and had an officer sign off that he had witnessed the map data was from Williams's phone. He sent his police statement to the bank, believing it would finally clear up any misunderstanding. When that didn't work, he went to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). By now, the police had viewed and collected the CCTV from the supermarket. Williams wasn't provided a copy of the tape, but he was given a description in an email from police. "It looks like two young males who look nothing like you have somehow been able to create copies of your (and likely others) credit card details on phone handsets to buy gift cards," the email read. The evidence showed Williams wasn't the one using his phone to make those transactions at a supermarket 150km away from his home. Then, came the answer most scam victims desperately hope for. The bank would return the $1,338, in full. But, there was a catch. He would need to sign a non-disclosure agreement and, crucially, agree that the payment did not mean the bank was taking responsibility for the missing funds. Williams was ropeable. "Now they can pay me some compensation. I want a letter of apology and a letter of acknowledgement that they're at fault, not me." He told the bank the reason for his refusal. Five months later, they made him another offer: how about $1,500 as a "full and final settlement"? Williams would have to agree not to take legal action. The offer would expire in two weeks. Again, he said no. "It's the principle of the thing. I just won't wear being called a liar. "I had to fight for myself all my life and this sort of injustice, where common people are being trampled … it's just getting worse and worse. "I'm a stubborn old turd, and I will not give up." At 73 years old, Williams was no stranger to new and unfamiliar environments. He ran away from home at 15, he said, hitchhiking his way around the country, sleeping in the hollows of trees, under bridges, and squatting in abandoned terraced houses. "A 12-by-eight piece of black plastic is the best thing I've ever had," he said. The decades of his life were filled with a diverse range of jobs: stunt man, actor, prawn trawler fisherman. He ran his own business in security investigating stock shrinkage, bought a television tower in rural Victoria for $1, which he still owns. He learnt how to fly planes, play the acoustic guitar, and two years ago walked for 18 days straight as part of the Long Walk from Melbourne to Canberra. One of his biggest motivations to take on a corporate giant was to donate any money he won to Indigenous health charities. And so, for the past year, filled with the drive of a man who flourishes in the face of something new, Williams began most nights, about 8pm, scrolling through dozens of legal databases and dry legislation. He read the stories of those who've lost hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of dollars to fraud and scams, and wrote and rewrote an argument to take to court, often huddled into his corner desk until the sun came up. "I might not go to bed until eight or nine o'clock the next morning," he said. He visited legal aid, the law institute, and universities, had meetings with civil lawyers who said they might be able to take on his case pro bono, but who, in the end, gave him advice about where to secure a personal loan to pay their fees. "Nobody would take it on. Maybe because it's a bank and they're too big to fight?" he said. So, about 18 months after the bank's final offer, on a mild summer day in December 2024, Williams caught the train down to Melbourne with his friend Richard Sugden, to the headquarters of NAB. There, armed with a stack of papers, he sat down with a woman from the bank called Sarah and took her through his 14-page writ that outlined he was seeking $379 million in exemplary damages. Williams had calculated that $1,338 was about 5.5 per cent of his annual pension. And $379.05 million was 5.5 per cent of NAB's 2022 profit after tax. "Things need to be proportionate," he said. In those documents, Williams claimed the bank: Williams claimed the reason he was suing for the vast amount of $380 million was because he believed NAB's demonstrated "a systemic abuse of power", knowledge of his vulnerability, "and deliberate disregard for fair dealing". The bank had about four weeks to respond. Williams didn't spend much time wondering how his Google Pay card got onto someone else's phone. He assumed he'd been hacked, and that the bank should have caught it. But on the other side of the world, Dutch cyber expert Eward Driehuis, was digging into the conundrum: how could a digital wallet be used in two places at once? Why were stolen digital cards suddenly turning up in supermarkets across Europe? Since 2017, Driehuis, supported by a team of 70, has worked with law enforcement and banks across the globe, helping them with digital scams. Last year, he got a call from a bank concerned its customers "seemed to teleport". It didn't take long for Driehuis and his team to figure out that criminals had created an enterprise out of stealing card details, adding a stack of them to digital wallets on burner phones. He said he saw photographs from authorities in Europe showing mobile phones side-by-side in a warehouse with the screens open to the phone wallet. "[It] was truly impressive. Each wallet [was] holding multiple stolen cards, ready to sell. And all those phones had stickers on them with Chinese handwriting." Here's how Driehuis says it works: The victim puts their credit card details into a scam site, thinking they're making a purchase. They are then asked for their phone number so they can be sent a text with a one-time password to confirm the purchase. But the scammer has actually registered those card details to be added to a phone's digital wallet, and that one-time password text message is from Google or Apple, asking the victim to authorise the new registration. It could be stopped if victims read the entire text message, but these days, few do, Driehuis said. "Some operating systems, including iOS, which is all the Apple phones, they just automatically read those codes and use them. Some phones don't even show those codes." He dubbed the fraud scam "ghost tapping" and gave a presentation on it earlier this year in Melbourne to Australia's biggest banks. Williams did receive text messages a few days before the fraudulent transaction went through, with a passcode for him to confirm he wanted to add his card to a new Google Pay account. But he said he doesn't remember receiving the texts. It's unclear how the scammer who added his card to a digital wallet managed to get that code. He said even if he did unwittingly give the scammer authorisation to add his card, he still believes the bank should have picked up that something wasn't right. It's now in the hands of a judge to decide if he's right. Ghost tapping is a problem that was on the cusp of being addressed by the United States when, late last year, the consumer watchdog agency the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), started to take control of Google Pay to find out how big of a problem fraud, scams and a lack of security was at the company. The CFPB could do this under its "supervisory authority" powers, allowing it to examine the company's transaction data, complaint responses and its anti-fraud systems. The department had received hundreds of complaints about money being taken via Google Wallet accounts, in circumstances very similar to Williams's. But there was considerable pushback, including Google making an application to sue the CFPB. But the death knell was President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which reversed the supervisory authority and significantly defunded the CFPB. Erin Witte, a consumer protection lawyer and policymaker at the Consumer Federation of America, said the tech company was effectively given a "free pass". She said what happened to Williams was an example of something the CFPB could have monitored. "How often did this happen? How often did Google ignore this … location discrepancy?" While investigators in Europe were looking at warehouses full of burner phones and the US was busy defunding consumer protection, Williams was preparing for court. On a mild morning in May, he slid on a black jacket he bought from a second-hand store the week before, checked his tie, zipped a bulging red folder of documents into a small suitcase and waited for his friend to take him to the train station. They arrived outside the Supreme Court a little before 1pm. NAB had made an application for the default judgement that found in Williams's favour to be set aside. The bank said it missed its deadline because it lost the paperwork served by Williams. It argued the default judgement had been "snapped on"; a legal term meaning Williams applied for it too quickly. It meant Williams and the bank would go head-to-head, in the flesh, for the first time. The hearing took a few hours, and ultimately, the bank succeeded in having the judgement reversed. "Now it goes back to where I was originally going to be, taking them to court and fighting it all the way through the court, and trying to make that as public and as embarrassing for the bank as I can," Williams said. Losing the case could mean he'll be ordered to pay the bank's costs, which Williams said could bankrupt him. But he was glad the bank had shown up. "My whole thing with running this through the courts is to make it very, very public." Later that afternoon, sitting on the train back to Bendigo, Williams talked about the case with Sugden and was overheard by other passengers. "I met three people who had been scammed or had fraudulent activity on their accounts. One was $10,000, and they didn't fight it. They just thought it was too hard." Williams said his fight is not about a payout (though he admits it would be nice to buy a house), but about making an example out of a corporate behemoth that he believes won't admit it got it wrong. "I'm the first [scam victim] that I can find that's actually thought it's worth doing this because people were just getting ripped off all the time, every single day." In a statement, NAB said it took "its commitment to scam prevention extremely seriously" and had made multiple attempts to help Williams. "[We] are disappointed that the matter has progressed to the Supreme Court. As this issue is now subject to legal proceedings, we are unable to provide further comment," NAB said. NAB has applied to have the matter struck off, with a hearing scheduled for later in the year.
ABC News
11-07-2025
- ABC News
Pensioner takes big bank to court to prove a point
Ian Williams woke up one morning to find $1338 had been stolen from his account. Two years later, the 73-year-old is taking on NAB at the Supreme Court, where he's seeking more than $300m in damages for how the banking giant dealt with his claim. As reporter Rachel Clayton discovered, he doesn't even have any lawyers to help.
NBC News
12-06-2025
- Health
- NBC News
How to get rid of flies, mosquitoes, gnats and other household insects
We don't always have the answers, but we have some people on speed dial who do — which is why we present to you our series FYI where we have experts explain if lip balm is actually bad, how often should you wash your hair and more. There are many things to love about warm weather. Think summer travel, trips to the beach or strolls through the park. What's not so great about increasing heat and humidity is that many of the bugs, insects and pests we work hard to get rid of throughout the year seem to come out in swarms compared to cooler months. This is a great time to get a refresher on how to get rid of flies (and other pests) quickly. Many common causes for house flies stem from exposed and/or rotting food, either in the trash can, garbage disposal, pantry or on the counter. Open windows, especially ones with air conditioning units in them, also allow flies to sneak into your home. To find the best way to get rid of flies (and fast), I spoke with multiple cleaning experts for their guidance. How to get rid of flies, according to experts The best way to get rid of flies and other flying insects is by regularly cleaning areas that are susceptible to attracting them, according to Ian Williams, technical manager at extermination services company Orkin. 'Proper waste management and sanitation is the single most effective way to keep flies and fruit flies out of a home,' he says. Taking out the trash frequently and rinsing out beverage containers can also go a long way in preventing flies from entering your home. You should also consider some of the top-rated products below for getting rid of flies — they all have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. The best products for getting rid of fruit flies Aunt Fannie's FlyPunch Fruit Fly Trap $7.96 Amazon $7.96 Walmart This looks like it should go in your cabinet next to salt and pepper, but it's actually meant to capture fruit flies hiding in your kitchen, bathroom or living room. All you have to do is open the lid, place it on a flat surface, such as your kitchen countertop, and let it attract the fruit flies. It contains a mixture of sodium lauryl sulfate, malic acid, ethyl lactate, water and vinegar. It also lasts up to 30 days and is great to use outside in the garden or if you sell food at a farmer's market, according to the brand. NBC Select reporter Zoe Malin is a fan of the product and uses it regularly in her apartment. Similar to baking soda, apple cider vinegar has multiple uses outside of cooking, including getting rid of fruit flies. In the summer, I always add apple cider vinegar (not white distilled vinegar), such as this one from Lucy's, to a small bowl or condiment dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and poke small holes on the top with a toothpick. The smell of the apple cider vinegar acts like a magnet for flies. Additionally, Delah Gomasi, managing director and CEO of cleaning services company MaidForYou, highly recommends using both apple cider vinegar and a bit of dish soap for getting rid of fruit flies. 'The main reason a mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap works so well in eradicating fruit flies is because the apple cider vinegar attracts the fruit flies whilst the dish soap traps them in the mixture,' he says. This gel treatment, which has a 4-star average rating from over 14,000 reviews on Amazon, is the answer to getting rid of flies that seem to come out of nowhere. It goes directly into the drain of your kitchen sink, which is a common hotspot for flies in the home. The gel treatment then cleans out grime and food residue that may be attracting insects and causing unpleasant smells. It helps wash away fruit flies, drain flies, eggs and nests, according to the brand. It's also non-corrosive, so you don't have to worry about it damaging your sink drains, pipes or garbage disposal, according to the brand. You only need one cup of the solution for each use to start getting rid of flies. The best products for getting rid of house flies, mosquitos and gnats Zevo Plug-In Flying Insect Trap $19.99 Amazon $19.99 Target $19.98 Lowe's This plug-in fly trap has a 4.3-star average rating from over 53,000 reviews on Amazon, and it uses a blue UV light to attract and trap flies indoors, according to the brand. It's effective in capturing fruit flies, common house flies and gnats. The cartridge on the inside also has an adhesive covering so the insects don't escape, according to the brand. You can buy multiple cartridges and replace them when you're done using one by simply sliding it on and off of the device. This fly trap uses light to attract flies, but it also is great for getting rid of fruit flies, gnats and moths, according to the brand. The back of the device has a glue card that attaches to the plug — this helps keep the flies and other insects in place and out of sight. You can also buy multiple glue card replacements, which you can use in rooms of varying sizes. Malin also uses the device in her home. Aside from a plug-in fly trap or drain cleaner, a fly ribbon is also quite effective in trapping flies. These ribbons, which have a 4-star average rating from over 12,000 reviews on Amazon, use a subtle scent to attract flies and the adhesive on them keeps them in place. They expand into a long spiraled ribbon, which you can attach to a wall, windowsill or door, according to the brand. All you have to do is place in an area that gets a good amount of natural light, which is more likely to attract flies and other pests. What attracts flies in the home? There are a few common causes for flies around the home, according to our experts. While there are a few different types of flies, in addition to other flying insects that are often confused for one another, like mosquitoes and gnats, many of them are typically caused by the following factors: Fruit and sugar: Both fruit flies and house flies, both of which are categorized as 'filth flies,' are extremely attracted to the smell of fruit, according to Gil Bloom, president of pest control company Standard Pest Management. 'In the home, they are typically introduced as eggs on fruit and produce which then emerge once fermentation starts,' he says. 'You can see this relationship if you look at fruit stands.' This problem arises when the fruit is left out, unwashed, overripe and/or rotting in a trash, fridge or cabinet or on a countertop. Additionally, fruit flies gravitate toward sugar substances like soda, fruit juice and candy. Fermentation: Similarly, fruit flies are often attracted to the smell of fermented foods and drinks, such as beer, wine, kombucha, yogurt, cheese and bread. While you keep these items in the fridge, things like small spills or crumbs left on the counter can attract flies. Plus, when you throw these items out, they can still attract flies due to residual matter. This is why Bloom recommends regularly rinsing out containers, cans and bottles before throwing them out to prevent flies. Decaying matter and filth: Other types of filth flies, such as the house fly, may gravitate towards fruit, but they're also attracted to dirtier materials, according to Bloom. This includes leaking drains, dirty mops, compost and pet litter. This could also include bits of food sitting in your garbage disposal. Windows and weather: Lastly, leaving windows and doors open, even for a few seconds, gives flies the easiest entry into your home. That said, you may also notice an increase in flying insects like flies, fruit flies, mosquitoes and fungus gnats during late spring and throughout summer, according to Williams. 'Flies and fruit flies have more access to food sources in the warmer months, as they're attracted to rotting produce that is more abundant this time of year,' he says. In other words, a more humid environment makes it easier for flies to survive and reproduce. Meet our experts At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest. Why trust NBC Select? I am a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I cover cooking, cleaning, wellness and other lifestyle content. I also write many of the site's holiday gift guides.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dorset gas storage caverns: What you need to know
A company has settled on Dorset for the site of the UK's second series of underground storage caverns for hydrogen gas. But what does that mean, and why Dorset? To store gas the way the company, UK Oil and Gas (UKOG), is proposing, you first need to find a thick band of underground salt. Engineers can drill straight down and inject water to dissolve that salt, creating huge empty caverns. The brine can then be pumped out and gas can be pumped in to be stored for when it is needed. Dorset is one of only three areas on the UK mainland that has the geology needed to make this possible, according to the company. The salt the company is looking at lies about 0.8 miles (1.3km) underneath the surface. The exact location of the site has not yet been announced, but the company describes it as "west of Weymouth". Storing gas underground is nothing new, and is how most natural gas is safely stored in the UK. But the use of these caverns for hydrogen has been limited, with only one facility in the UK, located in Teesside in the North East of England. And a 2022 study from the British Geological Survey said the salt underneath Dorset is less well understood than other parts of the UK and has never been used to store gas. Local environmental campaigners have voiced concerns that this could lead to problems. "Hydrogen leaks very easily, and when it leaks, it's dangerous," said Ann Stewart, a member of Weald Action Group and local Green Party coordinator. "Especially if it comes into contact with oxygen, because that's when it's explosive. "I would like to see really stringent checks over leakage checks, and dealing with leaks very, very quickly." Ian Williams, professor of environmental science at the University of Southampton, echoed the concerns around explosiveness, while also describing hydrogen as "a powerful indirect greenhouse gas". He said: "Leakage during production, transportation, and storage can contribute to global warming. "The lack of information about this new location will not help in terms of limiting anticipated, legitimate public concern." Plans for gas storage caverns under a lough in Northern Ireland were thrown out last year by the UK Supreme Court, with campaigners arguing the salty discharges from the drilling process could create a marine dead zone. Ms Stewart said they had similar concerns. "Where would all that brine go? Because that is a protected coastline," she said. Stephen Sanderson is CEO of UK Energy Storage Ltd, a subsidiary of UKOG, and said once studies had been completed details of the project would be made available in a public consultation. "Dorset's Triassic salt deposit is well understood, with around a hundred boreholes and extensive seismic data coverage," he said. "It is of an equivalent geological age, stratigraphy, composition and thickness to the Triassic salt in the Cheshire Basin, where gas storage caverns have operated safely since 1984." The UK Climate Change Committee suggests that in the future, hydrogen generated with renewable energy could be stored and used to fill the gaps in the energy supply when wind and solar are not generating enough electricity. Hydrogen is also considered by the IEA an important potential fuel for the future of some industries that are harder to clean up. For example, replacing coal in steelmaking furnaces. However, most hydrogen produced in the UK today is produced from fossil fuels and is not considered low-carbon. UK Energy Storage Ltd previously said plans for a hydrogen storage facility in Dorset could service the nearby Solent cluster - a regional hub of industry partners, co-founded by Exxon Mobil, who claim they want to make industry in the area greener. The Solent cluster has plans for a hydrogen production plant at the Fawley refinery near Southampton. Local politicians, and environmental campaigners like Greenpeace, have accused it in the past of greenwashing - that is, misleading the public about the environmental benefits of the plans. UKOG said in a release that it hopes to see construction under way by 2030, with the first caverns being open for business between 2030-32. But that will be subject to regulatory approval - requiring a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State - and will also depend on what financing is available. The company intends to bid for government revenue support for the project. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Plans for UK's largest gas storage caverns moved UK Oil & Gas
BBC News
09-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Weymouth hydrogen storage caverns: What you need to know
A company has settled on Dorset for the site of the UK's second series of underground storage caverns for hydrogen gas. But what does that mean, and why Dorset? One of three suitable locations To store gas the way the company, UK Oil and Gas (UKOG), is proposing, you first need to find a thick band of underground can drill straight down and inject water to dissolve that salt, creating huge empty caverns. The brine can then be pumped out and gas can be pumped in to be stored for when it is needed. Dorset is one of only three areas on the UK mainland that has the geology needed to make this possible, according to the company. The salt the company is looking at lies about 0.8 miles (1.3km) underneath the surface. The exact location of the site has not yet been announced, but the company describes it as "west of Weymouth". What could the impact be? Storing gas underground is nothing new, and is how most natural gas is safely stored in the UK. But the use of these caverns for hydrogen has been limited, with only one facility in the UK, located in Teesside in the North East of England. And a 2022 study from the British Geological Survey said the salt underneath Dorset is less well understood than other parts of the UK and has never been used to store environmental campaigners have voiced concerns that this could lead to problems."Hydrogen leaks very easily, and when it leaks, it's dangerous," said Ann Stewart, a member of Weald Action Group and local Green Party coordinator. "Especially if it comes into contact with oxygen, because that's when it's explosive."I would like to see really stringent checks over leakage checks, and dealing with leaks very, very quickly." Ian Williams, professor of environmental science at the University of Southampton, echoed the concerns around explosiveness, while also describing hydrogen as "a powerful indirect greenhouse gas". He said: "Leakage during production, transportation, and storage can contribute to global warming."The lack of information about this new location will not help in terms of limiting anticipated, legitimate public concern." Plans for gas storage caverns under a lough in Northern Ireland were thrown out last year by the UK Supreme Court, with campaigners arguing the salty discharges from the drilling process could create a marine dead zone. Ms Stewart said they had similar concerns. "Where would all that brine go? Because that is a protected coastline," she said. Stephen Sanderson is CEO of UK Energy Storage Ltd, a subsidiary of UKOG, and said once studies had been completed details of the project would be made available in a public consultation."Dorset's Triassic salt deposit is well understood, with around a hundred boreholes and extensive seismic data coverage," he said."It is of an equivalent geological age, stratigraphy, composition and thickness to the Triassic salt in the Cheshire Basin, where gas storage caverns have operated safely since 1984." Why hydrogen? The UK Climate Change Committee suggests that in the future, hydrogen generated with renewable energy could be stored and used to fill the gaps in the energy supply when wind and solar are not generating enough electricity. Hydrogen is also considered by the IEA an important potential fuel for the future of some industries that are harder to clean up. For example, replacing coal in steelmaking furnaces. However, most hydrogen produced in the UK today is produced from fossil fuels and is not considered low-carbon. UK Energy Storage Ltd previously said plans for a hydrogen storage facility in Dorset could service the nearby Solent cluster - a regional hub of industry partners, co-founded by Exxon Mobil, who claim they want to make industry in the area greener. The Solent cluster has plans for a hydrogen production plant at the Fawley refinery near Southampton. Local politicians, and environmental campaigners like Greenpeace, have accused it in the past of greenwashing - that is, misleading the public about the environmental benefits of the plans. When will work start on the ground? UKOG said in a release that it hopes to see construction under way by 2030, with the first caverns being open for business between that will be subject to regulatory approval - requiring a Development Consent Order (DCO) from the Secretary of State - and will also depend on what financing is available. The company intends to bid for government revenue support for the project. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
