Car sales fraud puts the brake on website auctions in the USA

It is difficult enough trying to buy a second-hand car, making sure that it has a full service history and that it won’t expire on you two days after the payment cheque has cleared. Or finding out that it was formerly written off due to an accident, rebuilt and put back on the road (yes and I do speak from bitter experience). 

There are lots of second hand car websites out there, and including ones who are keen to buy almost any car, providing it is not a much beloved 1979 Austin Allegro (yet again the voice of experience).

Reputable trading magazines and on line auction sites targeted by fraudsters

Trying to get some sound consumer advice and turning to a few of the national auto trading magazines has been one course of action for many people, and lots of individuals use on line trading and bidding sites to purchase their mode of transport. However it was slightly concerning to read today about a car sales scam so prolific that the FBI are after the ringleader behind it.

I mention this because, although happening in the US of A, we in Britain are notorious for following the trends of our American cousins and no doubt someone somewhere is now thinking about how they can net around 1.8 million, which is what this particular set of criminals managed to do. They posted details of vehicles on eBay, AutoTrader.com and other reputable sites, of non-existent cars and then, when getting a buyer, would email them invoices that the unfortunate consumer, believed to be genuine Amazon, PayPal and other online payment accounts.

Buyers advised to check consumer protection rights and secure payment methods

The fraudsters have turned out to be based in Romania but the ringleader is now wanted by the Feds,  yet still this has left thousands of would be American drivers in the lurch, or rather sitting on the sidewalk. The online bidding and payment sites are working hard to ensure that their customers know how to follow the proper secure payments procedures.

At present there have been no reports that anyone in the UK has been affected in this way, but it is worth ensuring if you do bid and buy online, you are up to speed with the secure payments methods. Spend a little time checking your consumer protection rights, and where and how to complain if anything does go wrong, and when looking to buy a car online, if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

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Universities learn that ignoring student rights could cost them dearly

Consumer protection organisation, the Office of Fair Trading, is now starting to look into how the rights of students, as consumers, are affected by the way in which universities carry out their business. This has got be a good thing particularly when you think about the amount of money that is paid out, to these institutes of higher learning, in the form of tuition fees.

The term “value for money” comes to mind when reviewing the hours of tuition, lectures and one to one guidance offered by academics, against the amount paid out by, what in essence are, their “customers”.

Teaching time and options available to students under inspection

Most universities endeavour to provide a high quality form of tutoring, with qualified and experienced professionals, appropriate up to date facilities and learning resources, along with the odd celebrity lecturer. Last year some courses at Manchester University had to have security guards posted at lecture theatre doors to stop unwanted visitors when Professor Brian Cox was lecturing to the undergraduates. However, the OFT is keen to review how universities decide on which courses they will offer, along with how they deliver them and how they compete for the students business. And it is now a business proposition, having put one child through university it was interesting prior to them picking a prospective seat of learning, to note the various marketing techniques used to attract interest.
Also equally interesting to look at the total amount of formal teaching time on offer from each establishment, against the fees being charged. This latest statement from the OFT follows on from a report by consumer group Which? and the Higher Education Policy Institute, that was produced back at the beginning of the summer. In their May report they compared the various differences in teaching time offered between establishments. They found that some universities, offered twice as much teaching time as other universities, to students undertaking the same course.

Students as consumers are a new school of thought

It is about time that students and their support network, i.e. parents and guardians, are viewed as consumers and purveyors of goods and services. Education is something we tend to take for granted in this country, as we have recently been reminded by the observations of 16 year old Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl activist. Now that we are having to contribute to university fees to educate our young people, then we do need to ensure that the service we are getting from our universities, is fit for purpose, as described and of good quality. Otherwise it will cost the universities and in the long run, the economic success of this country, dearly.

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Loyal consumers could be losing out to the tune of 4 billion pounds

Companies are having to work very hard to retain their customers and many are very successful in keeping customers loyal to their brand. However, yesterday a marketing report was published that seemed to suggest for some consumers, remaining loyal meant that you could be losing money. Researchers had focused on the price of car insurance and household energy providers and it would seem that by sticking with our favoured provider, we collectively could be losing up to around 4 billion pounds per annum. If this is the case, then the people at Beehive Research were keen to understand why, so these busy bees started speaking with a number of consumers to find out why they were reluctant to switch.

Which Switch group do you come under?

What they found was that around 40% of bill paying adults in the UK know that they could get a better deal elsewhere for car insurance and energy bills, but prefer to remain with the provider they currently use. The research company came up with four different consumer “types” of which the largest group is known as the “conditioned switcher”. This group are very aware of new offers, have little faith in brand names and switching is a price game they are happy to play. The “sceptical loyalists” are the next biggest group, they don’t look for new and better deals because they just don’t have the time, nor the energy I suspect, to hunt down new deals and then go through the rigmarole of changing. They have also, more than likely had a bad experience with a provider, hence their scepticism of brand names.

The next largest group is the “passive loyalists” who account for a fifth of consumers, again not having a lot of time to look for bargains and don’t have a lot of awareness about other offers available because they want loyalty from their trusted provider. Last of all are what Beehive class as “loyal opportunity switchers”. This group are quite bemused by all the different switching offers and can easily be convinced to stay loyal to their trusted provider. A brand that makes them happy might be able to keep their custom.

Loyal customers need to be rewarded

It has taken a research company a lot of time, and I suspect funding, to come up with the following statement that we at iRateiSlate have used as our mantra for some time now. Managing Director Paul Kavanagh at Beehive said of consumers,” they want to be treated well and have relationships with companies they trust.” Brands can make people stay or switch, but it is the customer service level that backs up that brand that will keep people loyal. That and the feeling that consumers are being rewarded for their loyalty. It will be interesting over the coming months to see what approach the energy companies take, because if they want to retain loyal customers whilst putting the price up, then we are going to have to be treated a whole lot better than we are at present.

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Campaign to Stop Insurance Companies Treating Honest Claimants like Criminals

It is about time consumer forums in the UK focused more on the process of the claim, particularly for honest claimants with real problems, who are being treated with suspicion, when they have to call upon their insurers to do the job they paid them for in the first place. We have dealing with one such case on this site where due to the treatment proffered to one of our claimants. For six years the claimant used a broker to arrange insurance cover for a courier business, until deciding to accept a slightly cheaper deal direct with one of our larger insurance companies.

Insurance Policy cancelled whilst Ombudsman rules in Claimants favour.

MoreThan were happy to accept the fee to insure company vehicles until it came to the time when an accident, not caused by the claimant’s staff, resulted in a claim being submitted. Then came weeks of delay, one hour long telephone interviews with the claimant’s driver, from a company that MoreThan use to “investigate” claims, and questioning of the claimant, with the insurer wanting information that was irrelevant to the claim pending.

Then MoreThan cancelled his policy and gave contradictory reasons for doing so even though, the company they brought in to investigate, advised  it was a solid claim and they should honour it. After a delay that cost our claimant more in time than the vehicle was worth, he decided to take his case up with the Ombudsman. This was after the Customer Service Manager of MoreThan had ignored his communication, until the Managing Director and CEO got involved.

 Now the Ombudsman has ruled in his favour but this is not the end of the story. The vehicle involved in the accident, became the property of More Than and he was told to return any documentation pertaining to the vehicle and let the DVLA know, which he did.

A catalogue of disaster and appalling customer service

Then, he received a letter from Copart, the  company Morethan liaised with, to take the vehicle, telling him that they had made attempts to deliver the vehicle back to him without success and they were going to start charging him storage costs for it, which he would have to pay before they released the vehicle back to him.

A vehicle he doesn’t own, has sent off all the official documentation to say he doesn’t own it , and fortunately copied all documents before posting them. Even more fortunately the Ombudsman is aware of this latest piece of gross inefficiency and will be contacting the insurance company to make sure our claimant does not get left with a large bills for storage costs.

We pay our money in good faith, we check our policies and we make sure that we have the appropriate insurance in place for peace of mind. To our way of thinking then insurance companies should not invalidate policies or refuse claims that have been investigated and found in favour of the claimant.

We are taking this further but we need to hear from you!

What we want is a streamlined and standardised professional service, where each claimant is taken at face value, when there is clear evidence of a genuine claim. And together we can push for this to happen, but it needs more momentum and feedback from the paying customer. We at iRateiSlate, can and will take on your concerns but we need actual examples and case studies from you to move this forward.

Contact us now, it is quick, it is free of charge and we WILL make sure your voice is heard and action taken.

Email us, post a message on our Facebook page, but get in touch now!

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Good customer service - let's get back to basics!

On Saturday around lunch time I went to buy a cup of coffee and a Panini at an up market café, usually I will pop into the local market but this time I decided to treat myself and the Significant Other to a sit down lunch. Behind the counter of this very busy establishment, were two young girls serving. There was a queue forming yet the notion of customer service and how not to keep people waiting was clearly not at the forefront of their minds. I am quite happy if a young person serves me particularly if they are new to the job as everyone has to learn and I don’t mind waiting because they don’t know where everything is, or they have difficulty working out how to operate the till. What I do find incredibly annoying, is when they are more interested in the conversation going on with their friend and cannot remember after 1 minute of being given an order whether it was tea or a cappuccino, then move around making up a sandwich with all the velocity and speed of a garden snail.

Make sure you see eye to eye with your customers

Both girls didn’t make eye contact, and instead of setting the milk frothing for the coffee and then carrying on making up the food order, or even taking an order from the person behind so they could keep the momentum going, they stood watching the coffee machine. At this point it was difficult to tell which was making more steam, the coffee maker or my ears, and then the owner came through and took one look at my face and the faces of the customers behind him. Within 2 minutes, he had juggled several orders, got his staff moving and eventually we all got to sit down with something to eat.

I then had the chance to watch the girls wait on a few tables, and still not a smile for the customers and no apologies for any delay. One of the girls had been asked about gluten free foods and clearly was at a loss to know what to do, and at this point the Significant Other had to restrain me from leaning across and suggesting that she go and ask her boss.

The whole point that makes me really annoyed is that young or old, politeness costs nothing, being young and learning your job is fine and people accept that, providing you try your best to be helpful and be pleasant. There is nothing wrong in saying, if asked a question you cannot answer, “I’m really sorry but I am not sure, would you mind waiting for a minute while I go and find out,” and of course we don’t mind. Because we have all been there ourselves at one time or another, first Saturday job, first full time post, dealing with the public is very daunting especially when you are an adolescent teenager.

Good customer service costs nothing and retains a loyal customer

After finishing my lunch I had to go to the bank where my faith in customer service was restored by the positive help I received from an equally young bank teller and again at the supermarket by the young man who apologised for being slow because it was his first week on the tills. Both of them were excellent ambassadors for their organisations and showed up some of their older colleagues as well. Companies spend a lot of time and money investing in products and equipment, marketing and website production but fail to grasp the one simple rule of ensuring their staff have even the rudimentary customer service training.

As this is the difference between losing and gaining a sale, it would seem a small price to pay. Let’s keep rating and slating and between us, we can and will make a difference!

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Malicious apps are premium service abusers

Having only just bought my first mobile phone at the tender age of thirty two, once I had mastered making and receiving calls and sending texts, then I was introduced to the wonderful world of apps. One particular favourite is the Sky Map, where just by holding the mobile up to the night sky, can I pick out all the constellations and different planetary alignments. If only this was invented years ago when I struggled through my Girl Guide Star Gazer badge, confidently announcing I had seen the Southern Cross, technically impossible when you hail from the frozen north i.e. Yorkshire. 

Still, the range and breadth of apps on offer is astounding and growing day by day. Sadly, and not surprisingly, so are the numbers of malicious apps. Protecting your pc from rogue malware and malicious apps is getting harder these days particularly when it is reckoned there are around one million malicious applications available for download on the Android Market. It is difficult to imagine that so many are out there, particularly as a few years ago, we were asking what an app was. So to find out now there are around one million pieces of software application that can be run on the internet, your phone or other electronic device and on your pc, potentially costing you thousands, is very worrying.

Consumers fooled by apps in disguise

Top of the list at present is something called FAKEINST. This is usually disguised as a legitimate app, and what this nasty little piece of work does, is to send unauthorised text messages to certain numbers and register users to costly and expensive services. Threats to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are not only restricted to personal data theft, but also can be a serious risk linked to banking transactions. The difficulty for the layperson is how to separate the malicious software, from the genuine article, particularly if rogue apps are now appearing in legitimate apps stores?

Consumer advice on downloading apps

One of the ways to check, if you have downloaded malware unintentionally on your mobile device, is to monitor your phone for any unusual activity. If the battery keeps running down very quickly it could be a malware problem for example. Keep a regular eye on your mobile phone bill by checking it online so that if any dubious or irregular transactions are taking place you could have a problem. Also before downloading any app, take a few minutes to read the reviews and the ratings along with any information from the developer. Keeping your IT antivirus software up to date and regularly running a spyware check will help as well.

Now, it’s time for a quick cup of cocoa before setting my Rise app to wake me up with some soothing tunes and calm and relaxing bedside manner. What is your favourite App to date? Let us know

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Energy price increases lead to a winter of discontent

It is that time of year again, plastic pumpkins nestle alongside witches hats and recipes for spooky soup in the supermarkets. Caravans are cleaned and put under cover until next season. Inflatable lilos and swimwear are all reduced down by 50% and just as we start the debate about turning the heating back on, the announcements for the fuel increases begins. The first of the Big Six to fire the warning shots was SSE with an 8.2% increase from 15 November. This is the same SSE whose pre-tax profits for the whole group were declared at 1.4 billion back in May. SSE are only too keen to point out that the majority of the price increase is down to government levies, which are 13% higher this year, plus delivery costs to households hiking up by 10% and the cost of the wholesale fuel, rising by a mere 4%.

Consumers patience and their pockets taxed to the limit

SSE want to see these levies taken out of the billing process and added into our taxation costs. The Energy Minister and current government think otherwise and so the ping pong game commences as neither want to be seen as the “bad guys” in the fuel poverty scenario. Out of the 13% levy, around 11% goes on government programmes to tackle climate change, reduce emissions and save energy, according to the energy regulator, Ofgem.

Moving to cleaner and greener energy is essential and ComRes when carrying out research recently found that 67% of energy users were more than happy to have wind farms in the area where they live. What most bill payers cannot accept is the stranglehold that the Big Six companies seem to exert over energy consumption in the UK. Nearly 70% of individuals in the ComRes survey want to return to nationalisation of the energy industry, with around 80% stating that energy prices are set too high.

It is interesting to note how each of the companies aim to attract and retain your custom, and this was highlighted only this week by a colleague who is trustee for a local organisation in the near vicinity. The contract for energy supply is due to finish at the end of this year for two buildings he oversees, and the accountant had received details for the forthcoming increase with the existing energy company. Their consumption of energy remained about the same each year, yet the price increase for both buildings were 42% and 56% respectively. So he gave notice to the current supplier and informed them he would be looking elsewhere. The present supplier came back with an increase of 1.5 and 1.8% for both buildings if he remained with them.

Fuel poverty on the increase alongside energy company profits

We get the fact that we cannot keep burning fossil fuels and need to tackle change, not just for ourselves but for our children and their descendants. We have insulated our lofts, double glazed our windows, turned down the thermostat, moved over to wood burners, and I personally have offered to snuggle down with George Clooney to keep him warm. However, we won’t stand for seeing large profit making corporations make money, whilst fuel poverty is on the increase.

We don’t need fancy and expensive marketing to attract our custom, or expensive seminars on green deals and energy consumption. Just an honest broker with a transparent method of pricing, which could be a community controlled enterprise meeting the needs of the householders and the environment, or reverting from privatization back to the nationalized industries. What do you think?

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Unwanted telephone calls start to ring alarm bells

There was a time when having your telephone number as ex-directory saved you from a lot of nuisance calls, from the ubiquitous double glazing salesperson to prank calls from the neighbourhood kids. Then the number of telecommunication service providers grew, along with the directory enquiry operators and it seemed as if the telephone never stopped ringing. No matter how many times you tell the caller that you are ex-directory, and try to get taken off whatever list they have bought into, then another batch of callers come along, and this time they are linked directly to the services you, as a consumer, buy into. The bank, the building society and the gas company have all called this week, despite pointing out to them verbally, and on every form filled in, that the landline number is ex-directory and such calls are not welcome. One company, to be fair, finally did take the hint and then telephoned on the mobile. The others waited a few weeks and  called back, asking to speak to the other half.

Removing your telephone number from marketing lists

Trying to find out how to complain about these calls has led to logging onto consumer complaints sites, writing into various companies to ask to be taken off certain lists and making sure that, if any products or services are bought over the internet, all the boxes are ticked that states the vendor will not sell on personal details nor be in contact themselves. All this however does take a fair amount of time and effort finding out who to contact in the first place, and, it is not so much a complaint as a request. To take your number off telephone mailing lists in the UK, then you can register, free of charge, with the Telephone Preference Service via the internet for those who are interested.

Registering an interest in your details

Yesterday evening a very pleasant young woman called purporting to be from a reputable company, asking questions about potential voting in the next election. She gave, when asked, confirmation numbers and website details along with her managers name and number. She also clarified the right to refuse to give her any personal data. The questions she asked were around voting for the next general election, she was polite and professional and so I went through the survey with her. When asked where she had got my ex-directory number from she said the details she had on the household were bought from the edited Electoral Register.

The edited register is, apparently available for general sale and when you register to vote, you can choose to opt out of this edited version meaning your details can’t be used for marketing purposes. You can opt out at any time by making a declaration to the Electoral Registration Officer and your council will be able to advise you further on this. This also will hopefully stop a lot of the unwanted post that comes through the door as well, saving the environment as well as giving you a little peace and quiet.

So if you have any unwanted or persistent sales then we'd love to hear from you - just don't ring me up around teatime or on my ex-directory number - tweet, message us, email or carrier pigeon are probably the best bet!







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Posting personal details on line is driving up crime rates.

Passing your driving test gives everyone a real sense of achievement and is an essential life skill all of us need to have these days. After paying out for the driving lessons, licence fees and tests it is no wonder that you want to let friends and family know about your success. The quickest way to do this is by posting details on social networking sites, which is what many young drivers do after getting their full driving licence.

However, just a few weeks ago the DVLA were made aware of fraudsters, who have been creating fake driving licences and selling them, using personal details they have gleaned from genuine drivers who have posted information on line. It seems that often when someone has passed their test, they upload a photograph of their new drivers licence on social networking sites. This gives enough personal information for a fraudster to commit identity fraud, and would allow them to obtain loans, open up bank accounts, and obtain credit cards and goods, all under someone else’s name.

Identity fraud on the increase in the UK

Over four years ago in this country, up to a half a million people were the victim of identity fraud, with estimates due to reach one million by the year 2014. In August of this year, two out of three fraud crimes were identity frauds, where either someone’s account was hacked or the criminals used personal data to get new goods or services in another’s name.

Most of us are quite careful when it comes to monitoring and checking our accounts, bank statements and pay slips, but not as aware that regular monitoring of your credit rating could save you money, as well as a lot of heartache. A poor credit rating can exclude you from being able to open bank accounts, get certain employment, own your own property and exclude you from various offers or products and services.

Credit yourself with a little common sense

Your credit rating is the score that is based on your financial history, and most of the time we don’t even give it a thought. Your own credit score is updated on a regular basis, and if you checked it out as regularly, you could pick up on any fraudulent activity being carried out in your name. Also if you have had some problems in your past when dealing with finances, then you can also check to see when your credit rating has recovered.

ID fraud is the fastest growing crime, we are getting better at what we throw out in our rubbish bins and recycling, and we protect our homes from unwanted visitors, but we can still help ourselves by watching what we post online and keep monitoring our credit report.

For more information and help go to https://www.getsafeonline.org/protecting-yourself/safeguarding-identity/

We at iRateiSlate want to hear from you of any other online fraud or scam that has happened recently so get in touch!

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All aboard the £80 billion High Speed 2?

Last week the High Speed 2 (HS2) Taskforce arrived in Manchester to meet with key figures from across the North West as a,sort of, advance sales force, promoting the potential benefits of high speed rail for local businesses and the economy in general. Investing in our transport system and updating the railway infrastructure has been highlighted by the Government as extremely important for the future success of our economy. So much so, that they are willing to spend around an estimated 80 billion pounds of taxpayer’s money to ensure that it gets completed. 

Costs speeding ahead 

I use the term” estimated” because the cost seems to change week by week, depending on which publication you read. The HS2 website for instance, states the following, “the total for the route is therefore £42.6 billion, including £14.4 billion of contingency.”

In August the cost was estimated at twice that amount, following an independent report from the Institute for Economic Affairs. They highlighted all the additional outlays which include regeneration grants, out of town locations for stations, which will require additional infrastructure and transport costs for people to access them, and so on.

The price tag seems to be spiralling higher and higher to the point where we have to ask, it is going to be economically viable? And where is the government getting the money from? With cuts in public services biting deeper, people having to tighten their belts, NHS trusts that cannot afford to deliver vital health care services and teachers having to strike to protect their pensions, we have to ask – is it worth it? 

A first class return for the Broadband Express? 

On the same day, the HS2 Taskforce hit town, it was announced that UK rail users are to get full mobile broadband coverage, with the rollout being funded by the rail industry. This must be a bit of a kick in the teeth to rural businesses, who have had to put up with appallingly slow broadband speeds that restrict the contracts and work they can access, not to mention the frustration from rural homeowners. However there is hope on the horizon with a 1.5 billion project to roll out high speed broadband to rural communities, with BT winning the contract for 26 counties and expecting to pick up the work for the remaining 18. Plus, the final completion date has only been delayed now to 2017.

At this rate it might be quicker and easier, just to buy get a season rail ticket and operate your business from a train carriage.

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