With cancelled plans and a recent rise in online scams, it’s important to understand how you can better protect your money. From protecting yourself from online fraud to working out how to deal with a cancelled wedding, we’ve put together some guides to help support you.
As we spend more time at home, online safety is more important than ever. As part of our MoneySure campaign, we’ve teamed up with award-winning financial coach Catherine Morgan of the Money Panel to create a podcast offering guidance on how you can protect your money online.
If you want any advice on how to protect your finances or if you are concerned about potential risks to your savings, investments or mortgage then there is lots of support available online.
The Government’s free and impartial money guidance website is a good place to start as it has lots of useful guides on how to safeguard your finances, such as this one on avoiding scams:
Which? Money is another great resource for advice on how to protect your money. This article explains what the Financial Services Compensation Scheme is and how it helps to ensure your savings are kept safe:
Check your credit report.
A great way to keep an eye out for fraud is to check your credit report regularly. It can help make identifying potential cases a lot easier and is also an opportunity to correct anything that doesn’t look right. There are lots of companies who offer free credit reports including:
If you want to report an incident of fraud or cybercrime you can do so at any time of the day or night using Action Fraud’s online reporting tool.
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
www.adviceguide.org.uk
The CAB provides free, confidential, impartial information and advice on a wide range of debt and benefits issues face to face. Look in the phone book or on the CAB website for the telephone number of your local bureau.
StepChange
Tel: 0800 138 1111 (freephone)
Open: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 4pm
www.stepchange.org
StepChange Debt Charity are the UK’s leading debt charity offering free, confidential debt help and support to anyone with money worries. Their free debt management can help you get back in control of your money and move forward with your life.
National Debtline
Tel: 0808 808 4000 (freephone)
Open: Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9.30am to 1pm
www.nationaldebtline.org
National Debt-line is a telephone helpline for people struggling with debt. National Debtline can also send you a free debt advice pack that includes guidance on completing a personal budget as well as answering legal questions connected with debt.
Advice UK
Tel: 0300 777 0107 or 0300 777 0108
www.adviceuk.org.uk
This network supports free advice providers and can give details of your nearest debt advice centre.
Money Helper
Tel: 0800 138 7777
www.moneyhelper.org.uk
Money Helper provides information and tools to help you manage your money better.
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