Consumer Direct is a telephone and on-line service that consumers can turn to if they have any problems. We offer clear, practical advice that gives consumers the knowledge, tools and confidence to resolve their problems - if the case is serious enough we would then pass the case over to our colleagues at Trading Standards for further investigation.

Credit Cards

Credit cards are a convenient method of payment and they also provide consumers with extra protection when making large purchases. However credit cards can also be dangerous so here are some useful tips to remember when using a credit card:

Small purchases mount up very quickly - keep a record of what you spend. If you spend more than you really mean to and can't pay it all back in time, you will be charged interest.

Take great care of your card. If it is lost or stolen, report it immediately. Once you have reported it, you are not liable if the card is used by someone else.

If you don't clear your balance within an interest-free period, you will have to pay interest. This will be the interest that has accrued from day one of swapping your balance over to the card. What APR does the company charge?

Remember that if you use a credit card to pay any amount for an item (which costs between £100 - £30,000, you can hold the credit card company as well as the shop you bought it from, responsible if there are any problems.

If you have any queries about credit cards you can call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

Consumer Direct Scotland: The facts so far...

• The consumers...

84% of callers think that they are aware of their rights, while 11% feel they are unaware of what their rights are.

91% of callers are confident about making a complaint, while 8% said they did not feel confident about complaining.

• The staff...

97% of callers said the advisor they spoke to was polite and courteous. 

98% of callers said the advisor they spoke to was friendly.

97% of callers said the advisor they spoke to listened carefully to my enquiry to understand what I wanted. 

• The impact... 

93% of callers said they would recommend Consumer Direct to a friend.

81% of callers say that the service provided by Consumer Direct met or exceeded their expectations.

86% of callers were satisfied with the service provided by Consumer Direct.

91% of callers said the advisor they spoke to had the knowledge to answer their enquiry.

• The advice...

96% of callers said that the information or advice given was fair and unbiased.

91% of callers said that they were provided with clear, practical advice.

90% of callers said that the information provided was specific to their needs.

88% of callers said that they were given the right amount of information.

90% of callers said that they were given clear guidance on the choices available to them.

88% of callers said that Consumer Direct gave them a better understanding of their rights.

• The outcome... 

58% of callers managed to resolve the issue as a result of contacting us, while 29% of cases were still on-going. 5% of callers said that they were unable to resolve their problem even after speaking to Consumer Direct.

34% of callers whose case was resolved saved up to £100, while the remaining 66% saved in excess of £101. The mean value of resolving the problem amounted to £11,802 and the median value was £210.