Advice for Getting the Best Deal on Broadband Service

There is no doubt that Broadband provides a much faster Internet connection than dial up. Consumers also prefer Broadband because of the ease with which they can surf the net and download music and movies. Online shopping has also increased dramatically since the use of Broadband became more prevalent. Read more

Tags: best internet speeds, higher speeds, telephone, GBP, best broadband, Broadband connection, price ranges, wide range

Ryanair makes millions in charges

Over recent years a rising number of consumers going on their travels have decided to opt for a low cost or budget airline in the hope of saving money on the cost of their travels. Read more

Tags: play, budget airlines, lowest fares, low cost airlines, ryanair charges

Fraudsters using bank charges to commit crimes

A warning has recently been issued by the Office of Fair Trading after it was discovered that some fraudsters are using the bank charges situation in order to try and obtain personal details from vulnerable and naïve consumers and then commit a crime through the use of these details.

The fraudsters are actually pretending to be officials from the Office of Fair Trading when they call consumers and try and obtain their details.

According to recent reports the fraudsters are calling consumers and stating that they intend to help them to reclaim their bank charges. They are then asking for account and card information stating that this is necessary, and in some cases have managed to retrieve this from the consumer. This information is then used to fraudulently order items, steal, or commit other crimes.

Officials from the Office of Fair Trading have confirmed that this is a scam, and that no official from the agency would ever phone and ask for personal details in this way. Consumers are warned never to give out card or account information to anyone on the phone unless the call was initiated by themselves. Such sensitive information should not be given in response to an email either, and consumers should avoid accessing what looks to be their bank’s website via an email link.

Officials have urged consumers that receive such phone calls to avoid passing on any details, to treat the call with suspicion, and to contact the OFT and report details of the call. This appears to be the latest scam used by fraudsters across the UK due to the OFT’s involvement with the controversy over bank charges, which has erupted over the last year or so.

Tom Smith
9th October 2007

Tags: consumers, telephone, claims, crime, bank, fraud, calls

SainsburyÂ’s reports increasing online insurance

More and more Britons are purchasing insurance online, according to Sainsbury’s Bank.

The high-street insurer says that customers are increasingly turning to the internet for taking out their car, pet and even life insurance cover.

According to communications manager Natasha Virtue, “it is a growing trend. We’re seeing a steady increase.”

This increase has also led to an increasingly competitive market: “We’re actually encouraging people to seek four quotes if possible, because the more you can shop around, the better deal you’re likely to get”, she added.

However, Sainsbury’s still encounter customers who prefer to stick with more traditional telephone purchases: “You do get people who really just want to speak to somebody and got through all the details on the phone”, Ms Virtue said.

“It’s really just up to the individual… maybe [some people are] just doing [their] research at home online, and then you’ll get people that maybe want to pick up the phone after that. So it just provides both avenues for them, really.”

Tags: sainsburys, internet, Ms Virtue, SainsburyÂ, Natasha Virtue, telephone, Justin King

Apology from Lloyds over call centre problems

Lloyds TSB has made an apology over problem with their call centre number, where customers calling the 0845 number were left hanging on the line to listen to a recorded message for up to ten minutes whilst being informed by an automated message that their enquiry would be dealt with as soon as possible.

The calls cost consumers three pence per minute, and around half of the cost of the call goes to the bank, which means that Lloyds was raking in a tidy profit from all the people that were left hanging on the telephone.

Lloyds recently announced that it was looking into systems that would ensure that customers of the bank received a more efficient and faster service, which made this situation all the more embarrassing for the bank. Its Bombay call centre was closed last month, after the bank claimed that the automated system could handle most enquiries. The 0845 number would also enable customer to get the telephone number of their local branch according to Lloyds, which previously customers could not do.

However, according to staff agencies the bank has failed to ensure that there are adequate staffing levels to deal with the new system, and Lloyds TSB has been accused of misleading employees, media, and customer with its claims about the automated service. Angry customers have been left holding on and paying a small fortune each time they call, the bank – which made over three billion in profits last year – has been raking in a fortune from the calls, and staff have been left to deal with the changes with no additional resources.

Over two hundred staff members lost their jobs when the Bombay centre was closed, and Lloyds have claimed that the efficiency of the automated system meant that staff members could be reduced.

Tom Smith
25th April 2007

Tags: lloyds, telephone, line, cheap, india, recorded, bombay, phone, bank