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PIP and Sim Swap

Consumer news and issues. Personal Independence Payment - PIP - is replacing the Disability Living Allowance but the number of appeals against initial assessments is rising.

Personal Independence Payment - PIP - is gradually replacing the Disability Living Allowance but the number of appeals against assessments is rising. Latest figures from the Ministry of Justice show the number of appeals going to Tribunal has tripled over the past year, with just over 16,000 heard in the 3 months up until December. Citizens Advice says since the start of the year around 500 people a day have been calling them to ask for help.

We've been exposing flaws in the security systems of banks and mobile phone companies over the last few months. Their lax security has allowed criminals to access bank accounts and defraud our listeners out of thousands of pounds. It's a fraud known as Sim Swap - the criminal impersonates you to your phone provider and orders a new SIM card. This new Sim is used to intercept the verification calls and texts from your bank. The criminal then uses these verification messages to access your bank account. We'll have an update.

In the past, we've looked at how flight costs can increase after booking a holiday with an online travel agent. Now You & Yours has discovered that in some cases, flight prices haven't actually gone up at all and is potentially a bid for companies to try to make more money from their customers.

Got a problem with your mobile phone? Normal behaviour would be to ring the phone company and complain to the call centre. It would seem reasonable that person in the call centre would be employed by the company. But not if you're a GIFF GAFF customer. They are trying a new approach by using their own customers to provide customer service for other customers.

Presenter: Shari Vahl.

Available now

45 minutes

Chapters

  • Elder Abuse

    A family wants CCTV to be used in all care homes to protect the residents from abuse.

    Duration: 08:10

  • Subject Access Requests

    A listener discovered how criminals got through security measures.

    Duration: 07:20

  • PIP Appeals

    The number of appeals against Disability assessments is rising.

    Duration: 08:59

  • Berlin Holiday Lets

    Why Berlin's city government has banned holiday apartments.

    Duration: 07:07

  • giffgaff

    The small provider whose customers run its customer service.

    Duration: 06:10

Broadcast

  • Fri 13 May 2016 12:15

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