AFCAは、従来の [Financial Ombudsman Service] から発展した金融 サービスの紛争解決スキームです。無料にて以下の金融サービスで発生した問題解決のサポートをしてくれます。金融サービス以外のもめ事（ビルダーとのもめ事など）はAFCAではありません。以下がAFCAのサポートになります。
- credit, finance and loans
- insurance
- banking deposits and payments
- investments and financial advice
- superannuation
AFCAの役割は、消費者や中小企業が金融機関との間で苦情解決のための合意に達することを支援する機関で、非政府系の独立した機関です。よってどちらかの当事者の立場を擁護するために行動することはありません。苦情が当事者間で解決しない場合、その他の適切な方法(compensation order等）で遂行されます。日本で言う「国民生活センターの金融に特化した部門」に近い形態と思われます。
以下のニュースはAFCAが介入した口座乗っ取り事件です。
＜参考リンク＞
What we do
Our role is to assist consumers and small businesses to reach agreements with financial firms about how to resolve their complaints. We are impartial and independent. We do not act for either party to advocate their position. If a complaint does not resolve between the parties, we will decide an appropriate outcome.
Decisions we make can be binding on the financial firm involved in a complaint. We can award compensation for losses suffered because of a financial firm’s error or inappropriate conduct. There are other remedies we can also provide for superannuation complaints. We do not, however, award compensation to punish financial firms or impose fines.
AFCA is not a government department or agency, and we are not a regulator of the financial services industry. We are a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee that is governed by a Board of Directors, which includes equal numbers of industry and consumer representatives. AFCA’s Chief Ombudsman is responsible for the management of the organisation.
