MONEY MORSELS

Royal ruse

ScammerS are posting fake royal mail delivery cards through doors, telling the recipients to call a number to arrange redelivery of a parcel. However, instead of speaking to the local postal depot, victims get through to fraudsters who try to get them to hand over personal data or payment details.

Homebuyer boost

THE number of first-time buyers getting onto the property ladder hit its highest level in nearly 11 years in June. Roughly 36,000 people bought their first home in that month, up 22pc in the past year, according to figures from trade body UK Finance. They borrowed £5.9billion in total.

New junior Isa

NatioNal Savings & investments has launched a cash Junior isa paying 2pc. the minimum investment is just £1 and the subscription limit for this tax-year is £4,128. it is opened and managed online-only at nsandi.com. anyone can make a deposit, but the account must be opened and managed by a person with legal responsibility for the child, until he or she reaches 16.

Cashback claims

AMERICAN Express has been rapped by the watchdog for exaggerating the amount customers can earn in cashback in a TV advert. It suggested customers could earn 5pc ‘on all purchases’ with its Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card. In fact they can only earn that amount over the first three months, after which the rate drops to 1 pc.

Bad banks

roYal Bank of Scotland and NatWest have been voted as worst for customer service in a poll by moneySavingexpert.com, after just 37 pc of readers rated its service ‘great’. First Direct retained its best bank spot at the top of the table for the seventh year running.

Investment dip

INVESTORS withdrew £1.5billion in savings from UK firms last month. The Investment Association, which monitors where their money is placed, found UK equity funds were the least popular in June. Savers preferred global equity funds, the best-selling area, with £465million invested.

Arrears slowdown

tHe number of homeowners seriously behind on mortgage payments has fallen to a record low. Some 88,200 households were more than 2.5 pc in arrears between april and June, down 5 pc on the previous three months, according to trade body, UK Finance.

Claims firm cull

THE number of claims management companies is now at an alltime low, according to the Claims Management Regulator. There are now 1,388 regulated so-called ambulance chasers offering advice on PPI and personal injury claims. At the peak in 2011 there were 3,213 active companies.