MONEY MORSELS
Fake claims
HOUseHOLDs are being targeted by claims management firms pretending to be from the Association of British insurers. The trade body has heard from a number of people who have been cold-called by a firm passing itself off as the ABi and encouraged to make fake personal injury claims. it says it doesn’t contact the public in this way, nor does it work with claims firms.
Energy rises Fees scrapped
PensiOn provider Phoenix Life is scrapping exit fees for up to 150,000 customers. Those with pension pots worth less than £5,000 will be able to move their money penalty-free. Those who have already paid an exit fee will not automatically get their money back.
Retirees profit Vehicle scam
DriVers have been warned to steer clear of vehicle leasing deals advertised on social media that require no credit checks or deposit. Fraudsters are posing as the trade body the British Vehicle rental and Leasing Association (BVrLA) to target people who are looking to lease a brand new car.
Debit denial Fire fraudsters
crOOKs have tried to trick customers into sending them their debit cards by posting fake letters from Barclays claiming the cards are catching fire in people’s wallets. The scam warns of a safety risk due to a fault in the manufacturing process at the factory in ‘Molton Keynes’.
Poor service
BULB is increasing its prices for the third time this year. More than 600,000 customers will see their annual bills rise by an average of £107 from November 11 — an 11.1 pc rise. It follows a 2.8 pc rise in April and a 5.1 pc increase in August, adding a total of £170 to bills in just seven months, according to comparison site uSwitch. TALKTALK has been ranked the worst broadband provider for customer service. In a poll by MoneySavingExpert, 38 pc of respondents with TalkTalk described its customer service as ‘poor’. However, Zen and Plusnet performed well, with 94 pc of Zen customers saying its service was great, along with 58 pc of Plusnet customers. A TalkTalk spokesman says while the results were ‘disappointing’ the company has made improvements. RISING property prices mean that the average retired homeowner has gained the equivalent of £812 a month in the 12 months to May this year. The Key Retirement Pensioner Property Index suggests mortgage-free over-65s made an average gain of £9,741. DIGITAL bank Monzo will no longer allow customers to top up accounts using a debit card. From October 2, customers will have to transfer cash into their account or set up a direct payment from their salary.