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Why has Google changed its privacy policy, and what does it mean to the average internet user?
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The number of people taking control of their credit rating has increased dramatically in 2012
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Despite posting losses of £3.5 billion for 2011, the number of serious complaints that Lloyds TSB received fell by almost a quarter
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The government has decided to do a u-turn on its plans to charge students a penalty for repaying their loans early
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FSA orders review of past business practices, with customers set to receive compensation for mis-selling
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Use the wrong plastic to withdraw cash or make a purchase overseas and you could be paying over the odds
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A new legal framework governing the way bailiffs operate is on the way, the Ministry of Justice has announced
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Rightmove's 'Happy at Home' survey reveals that people living in the North of the UK are generally happier than their Southern counterparts
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Taking a few minutes to think about an ex-partner this Valentine's Day could save you from a financial headache in the future
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Credit Card giant Barclaycard has released its latest figures - which show customer numbers up, and levels of bad debt down
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A newspaper investigation has found British consumers bank and credit card details for sale on Russian websites for as little as £19
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UK consumers ditched 1 million credit cards in 2011 as the popularity of pay day loans continued to grow. Does this signal the end for your flexible friend?
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The number of people falling victim to identity theft in the UK soared in 2011, official figures reveal
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Latest house price data shows that London and The South account for almost half the value of all property sales in England and Wales
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Land Registry have taken steps to better protect homeowners against fraud by making it free to place a restriction against their property
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A new EU directive could see thousands more reposessions, as well as increased borrowing costs for UK consumers
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New rules governing how retailers are allowed to promote store cards to customers have been introduced
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New Facebook feature makes personal information easier to find. What other information is available about you online?
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Halifax and Bank of Scotland charity credit cards are being withdrawn, after being described as "not cost-effective" by the bank
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Almost 90,000 people felt at risk of falling victim to identity theft in 2010. Find out how to avoid becoming part of the statistic.
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The number of people choosing - or being forced – to rent rather than buy is on the up. What information will potential landlords be able to check about tenants though?
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Some people may be surprised to find out that November is when the average credit rating is at its strongest. How can you protect yours going into the New Year?
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Despite optimism relating to falling levels of bankruptcy and reduced number of people struggling with their mortgage, no-one is counting their chickens just yet.
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Described by Which magazine as one of the worst financial products today, ID theft insurance continues to cause controversy – this time through aggressive selling techniques.
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Even if you haven’t made a claim yourself, your annual premium could be set to increase, simply because of where you live.
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A new study using Facebook data claims to be able to predict when a relationship is most likely to end. On a similar note, what tools do lenders use to predict your financial future?
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Regional differences in house prices, employment levels and repayment habits could be exaggerated further by public spending cuts. How does your local area fare?
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The watchdog Consumer Focus has said that more bank customers need to switch to encourage competition and better levels of service.
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Crazy as it sounds, land registration fraud – where a house is sold without the knowledge of the true owner – is growing. Find out how to prevent yourself falling victim.
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FSA proposals on mortgage lending criteria have been criticised by the industry trade body, saying it will prevent millions of perfectly ‘good’ customers from being approved.
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Debt management firms who are found to be misleading consumers face having their licenses taken away after an OFT report led to 129 “final warnings”.
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A major security breach has seen the personal details of thousands of broadband customers published on the internet, including card details.
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A government led scheme that will provide loans to people who cannot get finance from traditional lenders is launched, aimed at replacing dodgy ‘doorstep lenders’ and loan sharks.
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Two sets of fraudsters have been jailed for running major identity scams, with hundreds of innocent consumers account details prevented from being cloned.
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Figures from Halifax show that there are big differences in the rate that house prices are changing - depending on the property type.
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The millions of people who face uncertainty over whether they have paid to much or too little tax in recent years are now being targeted by fraudsters.
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The home broadband supplier gets its knuckles rapped for using customer data in a new software trial – without telling them first.
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Made famous by celebrities, pre-nuptial agreements could be given full legal recognition in the UK. But even with a pre-nup, an ‘ex’ on your credit file could still cause you other problems.
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The latest version of the biometric passport is launched next month, aimed at reducing cases of identity fraud and other serious crimes. An updated design or more secure, or both?
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The way that credit card providers allocate repayments to balances is changing – in favour of consumers. MBNA is the first to make the change, but not everyone is so quick off the mark.
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Facebook is taking yet another hammering over its latest feature that allows people to ‘geo-tag’ their location from Smartphones. Yes, Big Brother is watching you.
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The Citizens Advice Bureau has invited Debt Management firms to bid to become its recommended provider, in the hope that it will improve the quality of service consumers receive.
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The Government has called for banks to make it easier for people who have been declared bankrupt to get a bank account. In the meantime, what options are there?
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'Foreigners' will be included in China’s national census for the first time later this year, with the Government keen to reassure them about how the data will be used. Do you know what census data in the UK is used for?
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The way that banks are able to use customers’ savings to pay off outstanding debts on other accounts could be set for a review, with new FSA guidelines in the pipeline.
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The Royal Bank of Scotland is forced to sell 318 branches across the UK due to help engender better competition. With Santander believed to be the only bidder, does much change?
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A Government backed study, due to be published later this summer, could call for job applicants names, age and gender to be removed from CV’s to reduce bias and prejudice.
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A Ferrari, an Aston Martin, a small plane and original Banksy artwork – just some of the items that have been used as collateral with a new online pawnbroker - putting a new twist on an old form of borrowing.
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A new primetime ITV drama is set to raise public awareness of identity theft and the serious implications it can have. Are you as protected as you can be against fraudsters?
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Consumers who paid up front fees to ‘claims’ companies are increasingly being forced to seek debt management help, after seeing their failed cases lead to even larger levels of debt.
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The Competition Commission will press ahead with its ban on the packaging of Payment Protection Insurance alongside loans, mortgages and credit cards after rejecting an appeal from lenders.
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The Consumer Credit Counselling Service has called for first time buyers to face tests to make sure they understand what a mortgage is all about
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American investigators unearth millions of stolen Facebook profiles for sale on criminal websites, which could be used to steal personal details and even identities
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Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has revealed his own problems securing a personal loan, but there are still good deals to be had.
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The number of expats seeking help with debts they have in the UK is on the increase at the same time as the government’s debt help initiatives are branded a “complete failure”. Are things really that bad?
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A small town in Wales proves that low average house prices don’t necessarily mean a low credit rating. Find out how this and other information can affect your cost of living
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Fears that a recovery in the housing market could see fraudsters switch their attention back to mortgages has prompted the establishment of a specialist group tasked with combating them. Will it work though?
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The Government has already spent over £1.3 million promoting its controversial ID Card scheme, despite fears that the technology may not be secure, and doubts about the future of the scheme.
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A new initiative set to come in next month will see a select number of consumers struggling with debt entitled to make only ‘token gesture’ repayments until their situation improves
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Consumers face a further wait to see whether there is any prospect of official compensation for PPI mis-selling after a further challenge to the FSA proposals.
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The latest figures on mortgage approvals and house prices have given the headline writers plenty of ammunition, but again, the latest ‘dip’ is easily explained.
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You can now file for bankruptcy whilst checking you email or updating your Facebook status. The move to online filing will make the process cheaper, and more accessible, but is it a good thing?
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A new report from CIFAS reveals whether you’re more likely to be targeted by fraudsters based on your age, gender, and what credit accounts you hold.
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A new advertising agreement between Royal Mail and eBay means that you’re likely to start seeing adverts based on what people in your area have been buying on the auction site recently.
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A potential security flaw in Chip & PIN technology that could be exploited by criminals has been described as ‘theoretical’ by card issuers keen to play down the risk.
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46,000 homes were repossessed in 2009 - the highest number since 1995, but is there brighter news once you dig past the gloomy headline?
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Yet another company has had its knuckles rapped for misleading consumers about ‘unenforceable debt’ claims and potentially harming their credit ratings in the process.
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It’s already that time of year when our thoughts turn to relationships. But are you certain there’s not an unwanted ‘Ex’ lurking on your credit file?
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The number of people forced to declare themselves insolvent hit a record high in 2009 as debt advisors struggle to keep up with demand.
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The amount of money that credit card providers wrote off as ‘bad debt’ increased dramatically in the third quarter of 2009, but are the figures skewed?
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An official industry response to the Governments review into credit card practices could be good news for consumers - but not for a while yet.
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Organisations that 'seriously breach' the Data Protection Act face fines of up to £500,000 as the Information Commissioner gets tough on sloppy data losses.
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February usually is the ‘peak delinquency’ month for credit cards as many struggle with post Christmas bills.
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Both the OFT and the Ministry of Justice are looking at how debt management companies sell and operate. But a Debt Management Plan is not always right for everyone.
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The latest figures on house prices would have us believe that prices are heading back to pre-recession levels. But when you look at the facts behind the figures, there’s a long way to go yet.
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The new Facebook 'privacy' settings could mean that your personal details are exposed to people randomly searching Google. Have you protected yourself?
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It's almost time to kick back and relax. Whilst you're waiting for the big day though, here's our top ten guide on things to pass the time, including the classic Elf Yourself.
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The news that Ryanair is to stop accepting payment by Visa Electron means that nearly all cards now carry a fee for booking. But there is a way of avoiding these charges altogether.
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The hectic festive season will see thousands of people lost their mobile phones, but could an identity thief make it even more of a painful experience?
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According to a recent study, most young people in Britain don’t know the names of their next door neighbours. You can find out their average credit rating, though.
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Consumer champion Which? needs volunteers to help with an investigation into whether consumers actually get the rates on offer from credit cards providers. Can you help?
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The number of consumers defaulting on their credit card repayments is predicted to soar in the next year, and it’s predicted that getting a new card will become tougher than ever.
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As a further batch of test cases are set to determine the outcome of thousands of claims, the Ministry of Justice reveals that 1 in 4 claims companies are breaching guidelines.
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UK call centres are making it easier for fraudsters to obtain credit card details – including security numbers, by failing to follow guidelines on how call recordings should be stored
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Another report emerges, highlighting how much your postcode affects how much you have to pay for things. How is yours rated?
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The Competition Appeal Tribunal has ruled that the ban on selling payment protection insurance alongside loans needs more supporting evidence before it can be passed.
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The government has launched a consultation to assess whether debt management firms need stronger regulation in a battle to beat dodgy practices.
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It’s a little known fact, but if you are an additional card holder on a credit card, you don’t get the same level of purchase protection as the primary card holder.
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A new EU directive aimed at helping consumers who were overcharged on holiday will be introduced soon, but is it likely to work, or will it simply mean costs are passed on?
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Levels of personal debt in the UK fell for the first time since records began in July, but requests for debt help continue to increase. What do the figures mean?
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The latest online version of the classic game puts a value on almost every street that’s listed on Google Maps. How does your postcode rate in the real world though?
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Instances of identity fraudsters taking over mobile phone accounts are increasing, with poor password security not helping in the fight. Is your own password up to scratch?
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American Express card holders could be hit with a 4% interest rate increase just for missing a single payment on their cards. Would you stand for that, or take your business elsewhere?
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A recent YouGov survey has put Edinburgh at the top of the 'most desirable places to live in the UK'. Get a more in-depth, free assessment of how your own local area rates.
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If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of Monument credit card customers to have their account closed, have you just lost out on an extra level of purchase protection?
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Actor Neil Morrissey has chosen to repay his creditors through an IVA rather than opt for bankruptcy. But will that save him from losing his home?
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Statistics showing that the number of repossessions in the UK fell in the second quarter of this year could be glossing over the problem. Find out why the worst is unlikely to be over.
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Desire for gadgets such the iPhone is increasing despite the recession, but could they make you a prime target for identity thieves?
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Although average house prices in the UK are creeping back up, there are still big differences when it comes to property type and location. How are prices in your local area looking?
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Credit card issuers are starting to take much more notice about how customers use their cards - both in terms of spending and repayments. What do your habits say about you?
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