Scam of the week

There are no central rules, meaning you must look at individual terms and conditions.

Most companies are part of the Delay Repay scheme. If so, you should be entitled to a refund of up to 50 per cent of the ticket price if the train arrives at its destination at least 30 minutes late. Expect a full refund if it is more than one hour late. 2. CANCELLED TRAINS If there is no other train suitable for you, you are entitled to a refund. 3. RAIL OMBUDSMAN If the rail company rejects your claim you can lodge a free complaint with the Rail Ombudsman. To do this, the company must be a Rail Ombudsman scheme member and must have given you a deadlock letter or failed to respond within 40 working days of your complaint.

The ombudsman can also deal with complaints about customer service, safety and facilities at stations and on trains – but not for issues prior to November 26. CHRISTMAS shopping just got even more stressful, with fresh warnings because of all the fraudsters.

I am hearing from lots of readers who have fallen victim while shopping online – buying things that never turn up.

This is backed up by the latest report from Actionfraud, which says scammers conned 15,024 shoppers out of £11million over the festive period last year.

Laptops, tech and popular toys were the common items used to reel in victims. So be diligent when buying online from a website you are not familiar with.

Paying by credit card will provide far more protection than doing a bank transfer.