Maurice Blackburn Lawyers are set to take on insidious car loan “ripoffs” in another wide-ranging set of class actions aimed at compensating Australian victims.

The three actions relate to “flex commissions” paid to car dealers by Westpac Banking Corporation and St George Finance, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (Esanda), and Macquarie Leasing Pty Ltd in relation to consumer car loans made before the practice was banned in 2018.

Press PLAY to find out if you could be part of what could be Australia’s biggest ever class action

Lawyers National Head of Class Actions Andrew Watson told Karl and Gena on 6PR Breakfast the court ordered the banks to send opt-out and registration notices to one million affected customers in August and deadlines are fast approaching.

“They were incentivising the dealers to charge interest rates that were sometimes up to 17 per cent; all of that ineterest was being paid by the consumer who didn’t realise it was going to the dealer,” Mr Watson said.