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Hi Community,  Sharing an email that was recently sent to PEXA Subscriber Managers regarding staying safe online.  ----------------------  PEXA has been made aware of email communications impersonating PEXA from noreply@pexa.site with an invoice requesting payment. Please be aware that this is not an official PEXA email address. Do not reply, click on the link or any attachments. Please be reminded that your PEXA fees are always automatically debited directly from your nominated account. No further action will be required on your behalf. Being smart online means constantly protecting private information from scammers that impersonate legitimate businesses. If you receive a suspicious email requesting you to make further payments purporting to come from PEXA, do not click on the link or any attachments. Please forward it to security@pexa.com.au. We would also like to remind you of other helpful tips and hints to stay safe online including:   Never provide your personal, credit card or online account details from a link in an email Take a very close look at the sender’s email address in any messages you receive that appears out of the ordinary. It might not match the name of the company that it claims to be from Watch out for any links that appear to be legitimate but can take you to a website URL that doesn’t match the address of the legitimate company’s website Staysmartonline.gov.au has some useful information on how you can protect your business The Law Institute of Victoria offers a practical guide covering cyber security which we would encourage you to read. In addition, The Queensland Law Society has also published a warning in relation to email scams PEXA will continue to provide its members with the latest in cyber security awareness tools and tips via our seminars, newsletters and the security page on the PEXA website. If you have any concerns, and need to speak to us, please contact the PEXA Support Centre on 1300 084 515, available 8.30am – 8.00pm AEST Monday to Friday or visit the security page on our website.  ... View more

Hi community,  Scams Awareness Week runs this week from 21 – 25 May 2018 and the Australian Government is urging Australians to be on the lookout for threat-based impersonation scams by taking a moment to ask ‘is this for real?’ I thought you might be interested in the following article Australians Lost $340 million to scammers in 2017.  I also found a helpful resource on LPLC's website about cyber fraud.  There's also a downloadable poster which I've attached to this post (link below). It covers 'Five steps to protect yourself'. It would be worthwhile printing for your offices as a reminder.      ... View more

Please note that this post was updated on 5.4.2018 with new information.  Hi Community,    Over the past 12 months, PEXA has received enquiries from the market – specifically those firms that deal infrequently in property – in how they remain compliant with Land Registry transition dates without needing to subscribe to PEXA. As a result, SettleAssist was created as a pilot to test whether an additional service is required to assist those firms.   As Land Registries commit to the digitisation of property transactions, it is critical all firms have the ability to retain their customer-base and provide like-for-like servicing to their market. It is also critical that transactions don’t experience difficulties in the instance an infrequent transactor isn’t available for you to deal with online or, for a sole practitioner, they wish to take leave.   To ensure firms aren’t disintermediated in the transition to e-Conveyancing, PEXA is tested the need for a service where firms can have their settlement completed in-line with legislation, without having to become a PEXA Subscriber. In effect, this allowed firms to continue completing property transaction on behalf of their client. It is important to note SettleAssist did not proactively seek to drive business through this channel, rather it tested an “insurance policy” for those firms that don’t have the capability to process transactions electronically post-compliance dates.   In doing this, SettleAssist aimed to protect existing market relationships between firms and their clients and ensure all transactions can proceed smoothly.   Parameters of the SettleAssist initiative: SettleAssist was a passive service, primarily intended for those firms that sporadically transact property and, due to low volumes, do not find it suitable to become a PEXA Subscriber and learn the system. SettleAssist supported some firms on a transitional basis while they complete their PEXA registration (in instances where they have urgent matters to complete in the meantime). PEXA did not proactively contacting buyers and sellers – this was a passive service with only select firms able to refer transactions through for completion. SettleAssist was not a service direct to the general public. Firms retained the primary relationship with buyers and sellers. SettleAssist will dealt directly with the engaged firm, or, when the firm asked SettleAssist to obtain information directly from the client, the firm retained visibility of those interactions.   The pilot was active in Victoria and New South Wales in early 2018 and now ceased accepting new matters. The service will continue to support referrers for files that had already been referred before 27 March 2018.   PEXA will provide a formal briefing to the relevant industry bodies including the AIC, Law Societies and ABA at the end of the pilot.   PEXA continues to offer extensive support services directly to lawyers and conveyancers who wish to transact electronically, such as PEXA Direct, PEXA training, the PEXA Virtual Program, the PEXA Certified program, the e-Conveyancing Community and the PEXA Support Centre, ensuring broad market readiness in line with legislative requirements and transition timetables.   Q&A: Who is able to instruct SettleAssist to complete a matter on behalf of the “client”? A practitioner acting for a client can instruct SettleAssist to help with those parts of the process they cannot complete themselves.   Is SettleAssist actively marketing to the general public? No – SettleAssist is not a direct to consumer offering and does not accept instructions other than from the referring practitioner.   Why wouldn’t infrequent transactors refer the PEXA component to an existing PEXA Subscriber? Practitioners are able to continue to offer that service to other practitioners. PEXA has created this pilot to address those firms that don’t have such an arrangement in place or are reluctant to issue those instructions to a competitor. How large in the pilot? The pilot is capped to 30 firms.   If you have any additional questions about SettleAssist, please ask below or private message me.    ... View more

Coinciding with the Release 7 launch webcast, the e-Conveyancing Community will host our third 'Ask Us Anything' all-day event.    Join us here any time between 10am - 5pm on Wednesday 1 November. Our experts, including the Release 7 experts, will be ready to answer your PEXA questions on the spot! Head to the Ask a Question forum to post your question.    If you’re not already a member of the e-Conveyancing Community, register today so you can participate.   The team are excited to host this special event again!    WA Members - We will run until 5pm AWST.  Release 7 Webcast - RSVP here   ... View more

The PEXA team sharing insights, lessons and our member-centric culture with the Law Society of Ireland today. Thanks for visiting the PEXA team today Mary and Ken.    Photo: Marcus and David, PEXA with Mary and Ken, Law Society of Ireland    PEXA & Law Society of Ireland ... View more

Hi Community,    PEXA would like to invite you to our first Open Day next Friday!   Have you ever wondered what happens here at the PEXAPLex? Or who builds PEXA? This is your chance to find out.     Our Open Day is an exclusive opportunity to meet PEXA’s technology team and to discuss future platform enhancements and functionality.   We’d love to see you on the day!   Friday 15 September 2pm-4:30pm Docklands, Melbourne RSVP - There are limited places available so an RSVP is essential.    If you have any questions about the day, let me know.      ... View more