PRESS RELEASE BY THE OMBUDSMAN FOR BANKING SERVICES – 29 JULY 2022 “The law forbidding creditors from collecting on prescribed debts which falls under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCA) is well-known, established and adhered to – or so everyone would think. The aim of this law is to safeguard consumers against unfair…
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With the rainy season well underway in most parts of South Africa, the office of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance is bracing itself for a spike in complaints from distressed homeowners whose building insurance claims have been rejected. The office dealt with 1800 cases of rejected building insurance claims during 2019, most of them roof-related. Insurers…
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BEFORE you go online to buy aluminium windows, leather shoes or furniture online, or to book a company to move your household contents, best you heed the Ombudsman for Consumer Goods and Services’ warning about the dodgy operators who’ll take your money and then fail to deliver. Ombudsman Magauta Mphahlele has gone as far as…
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It’s fair to say that most people aren’t as clued up as they need to be when they buy a car, and first-time buyers are especially vulnerable. Today I want to focus not on choosing the right car for you, but what happens after that. It may be new, but check the warranty anyway Do…
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For us consumers, buying something on lay-by is a huge win. And because of the tough economic climate, lay-by has suddenly gone mainstream – retailers big and small are now offering lay-bys, because they’ll lose out if they don’t. No credit checks are necessary because the shop gets to hold on to the goods until…
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Anyone who flies regularly has experienced the frustration of flight delays. It can be utterly devastating – missed meetings, weddings, funerals, concerts, and connecting flights. Too often passengers are told ‘too little too late’, or delayed due to ‘operational reasons. They’re told even less about the compensation they’re entitled to, and how to claim it.…
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How outraged should we be about how four top selling South African cars did in the latest Global New Car Assessment crash test? In the case of the Nissan NP300 double-cab bakkie, in particular? In the case of the Nissan NP300 double-cab bakkie, in particular, VERY. The body shell of that “made in SA” bakkie…
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Social media gives we consumers a powerful voice; a means to expose how we’ve been wronged by companies; and to warn others of dodgy practices and rip offs. And you’re safe – legally – if what you say publicly is true. Factual, real – not fake. Sadly, the facts tend not to have the shock value…
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Is RFID “contactless” card theft possible? Whether you know it or not, if you have a credit card, it is most likely an RFID one – that it is it has Radio Frequency ID, the technology which allows you to Tap and Go: place your card on a reader at the till point to pay for…
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