Protect yourself from credit scams

The always excellent citizens advice have claimed that unscrupulous credit companies on people's will redeem despair for loans in tough economic times.

Scammers making unsolicited offers loans for people on the fees you juicy to search. The loan does not often come into play and victims then a numbers premium-rate when you call to complain to.

Citizens advice called the fair trading to intervene regulatory authority, and it has submitted super-complaint to Office (OFT) one trading of fair. The regulator has to give a response within 90 days.

If the OFT thinks there to answer a case, it can then decide to start a full investigation in his own right.

It is well known that the current economic conditions "Breeding ground" for rogue credit companies, many households with financial difficulties.

The charity said that it had spoken to the people of England, Wales and Scotland, which had been demolished. You got a text message or phone call from a company offers to find an unsecured loan.

Those who accepted large were advance fees for little or no service then charged at the same time.
Other victims were convinced to the hand, that of your bank details and later found that the money had been taken from your account without your permission.

To fight to victims, and found that, instead, you have been flooded by calls and text messages with loans or debt management services from other companies.

A specific set of consumers can a super complaint to the Office of fair trading (OFT), if a problem "clearly the interests of consumers is damage". OFT has 90 days to respond, by the action, stating, if anything, it plans you to this problem and the reasons for his decision.

Citizens advice wants to the OFT, cold-call credit or debt management companies, and an end to these companies to prohibit demanding fees in advance.

Frame of consumer protection about unwanted marketing and advance fee credit not is broker only complex, but loopholes give to flourish too much room for bad practice.

Analysts and debt charities believe that the consumer credit Act and data protection legislation urgently need to be updated to address these problems in cause.

The Association of business recovery professionals provides legitimate debt management companies, and the OFT to reinforce calls for regulation of the industry.

The financial Ombudsman Service delivered 6,329 complaints about consumer credit in the past year, an increase of 110% in comparison with the previous year. Complaints have since continued to grow, although not all cases of customers for this have been found.

This is a very worrying development, although perhaps inevitable given the current climate. When there are vulnerable people there other work you use.

While work to charities and the Government, to identify the culprits and to protect the vulnerable must be even more than ever for people properly to act, in the search for credit or debt advice. As always when something too good seems to be true it is in life, then.

Read more... Protect yourself from credit scams

British banks of still failing on customer service

Research which will surprise no one has this week that after all, advertising and consumer protection are still failing campaigns against you, banks, dealing with customer complaints in a satisfactory manner.

The Watchdog consumer focus commissioned research, the shape a national representative sample of 2,000 people has. This led phone during December and January.

Headline figures show that 75% of customers who are unhappy with the service from their bank to make a complaint, only 47% of you then with Bank response are satisfied.

There are several aspects to this information where to complain about the first that 25% of people dissatisfied not are with the customer service at their bank also trouble. As the great used to say, Anne Robinson ' can not get away, stood up for yourself and make a fuss '. Otherwise nothing will change.

Of the 47% dissatisfied with the Bank response not 31% don't mind and take the complaint further. Only 9% at the end so far as the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Some of these numbers will be cases where the complainant in the wrong, but is not many. And as banks try and get away with shoddy customer service successfully shows only too well.

This new research comes the city watchdog, the financial services authority, banks appeal than "deficient" last year.

An expert at consumer focus summed up the situation saying: "the customers are willing and able to your corner to combat and complain about the first step." The problem is, then seem poor service by the banks and discourages complaints system to be. "Unfortunately seems persistence of the key for the answer which would by your bank."

Consumers occurs focus now the ranks of many analysts call to take more seriously for banks to complaints and to devote more resources to improve customer service. Right consumer groups urge the financial services authority (FSA) the prospect of a financial sanctions keep the pressure on the bad to keep good companies.

Progress in this area is painfully slow to experience especially for the poor quality of customer service on an almost daily basis. But it is important to note that progress and slowly, oh so gradually to customer complaints to take more seriously the banks and trade made in them are.

As a final note you are disappointed with the standards which not only accept customer service with your bank, but get on the Internet to shop and turn your account. You have the ultimate sanction.

Read more... British banks of still failing on customer service