www.progages.co.uk/blog

Loss of data puts customers at risk of identity fraud – what can you do to protect yourself?

Several million bank customers were put at risk of becoming victims of identity fraud last week when their personal details ended up on a computer sold on eBay. The computer, which sold for just £35, contained customers’ sensitive data on its hard drive. Details included bank account details and in some cases customers’ signatures, mobile phone numbers and mothers’ maiden names.

Such data breaches are increasing these days and they leave those affected highly vulnerable to identity theft. That’s why it’s so important for consumers to be extra vigilant and to take measures to protect themselves.

Steps to protect yourself against ID fraud:

• Keep an eye on your finances and look out for unusual activity.
• Review your passwords – don’t use the same password for more than one account.
• Never give your personal or account details to anyone who phones you unexpectedly.
• Don’t reveal your PIN or passwords to anyone.
• Keep an eye on your credit file to ensure no accounts or loans have been fraudulently set up in your name.
• Be wary of emails that begin “Dear customer”, rather than using your name.
• If you think you have been a victim, tell your bank or building society immediately.

Contact

Mudassar Iqbal

07870584425

www.progages.co.uk

Arranging a mortgage can be a very stressful experience if you try to do it yourself. You can end up spending a lot of time on it and may not get anything like the best deal. We are experts in this field and pride ourselves on the huge number of recommendations we receive. Contact us and we will use our powerful computer databases and expert knowledge to search the vast range of mortgages and identify a suitable scheme for you.We cover all North west area including Accrington, Blackburn, Preston, Burnley, Nelson, Bolton.

Below are some of the questions you are faced with:

• Fixed rate, discounted rate, capped rate or cashback?
• Capital repayment or interest only?
• How is the interest calculated?
• Are there any early repayment charges?
• What possible fees are involved?
• Are there any deals where the fees are paid by the lender?
• How much can I borrow?
• Am I able to obtain a self-certification mortgage?
• I am self-employed and only have accounts for 12 months, can I get a mortgage?
• Can I make overpayments, underpayments or have a payment holiday?
• Can I offset the balance in my current account against the balance on my mortgage?
• What is mortgage protection?
• Do I need mortgage protection and how much does it cost?
• I have a mortgage at the moment, but would like to remortgage. Is it worth it on the basis that I may suffer from a redemption penalty with my existing lender? (a redemption penalty ia a penalty charged by the lender for redeeming the mortgage early)
• Am I able to consolidate existing debt through remortgaging?
• Am I able to change lenders and have lower payments as I have no early repayment charges with my existing lender?
• I have an endowment, but am concerned about a possible shortfall. What should I do?
• I have a bad credit history. Is this a problem?
• I have changed jobs three times in the last year, can I get a mortgage?

As I am sure you can appreciate, it can be a minefield. The one way around it is to consult a mortgage adviser at Progages Financial Services to arrange a mortage for you Contact us now.

• All loans subject to status and availability.

Adding existing debts to your mortgage extend the repayment term and increase the overall cost of the debt.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Contact

Mudassar Iqbal

07870584425

www.progages.co.uk