Such a great country...

[Mr $quandaŁot]

...not!

Am I the only one thinking that this country - largely thanks to the pundits in Westminster - has lost it?

Yet another Wonga ad. No mention of APR or anything about their interest rate. How is this legal?

We should really go back to basics (quoting John Majorvsome 20 years ago) and ask ourselves why so many people need payday loans to make ends meet?

Goodness knows how this is going to end but if any indication of history is right, not well!

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

Which ad is this ? They've only just been told off for one.

Feel free to complain http://www.asa.org.uk/Consumers/How-to-complain.aspx

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Re: Such a great country...

The one where a couple is in a dodgy bed so the old lady comes up with a solution -:a wonga loan that can be transferred over in five minutes!

Companies like wonga might get told of but when the authorities don't actually care what can you do? Believe me, no other European country dysfunctions like the UK!

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

This one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNexdSK1l-c

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Re: Such a great country...

Precisely!

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

Hmm can't see it on the list from ASA.
If it's still being shown on TV put a complaint in.



Rulings (7)

Wonga.com Ltd A TV ad, for a loan company, showed a man who spoke as two different characters. One half of his shirt was blue with white spots, and the other half was plain white; he had a beard on one half of...
Date: 14 July 2010
Decision: Upheld
WDFC UK Ltd t/a Wonga.com Ltd A radio ad, for a payday loans company, featured the popular 1950s song 'Mr Sandman' with newly written lyrics. The lyrics stated "Mr Wonga lend me some dough. Make it the simplest loan that...
Date: 9 October 2013
Decision: Upheld in part
WDFC UK Ltd t/a Wonga A TV ad for a payday loans company featured an exchange between two puppet characters who stated, "Right, we're going to explain the costs of a Wonga short-term loan", "Some people...
Date: 9 April 2014
Decision: Upheld
Wonga.com Ltd A TV ad, for an instant loan company, began with a voice-over that stated “There was a time when borrowing money went at a snail’s pace. Page after page of form filling. Sign here, here and...
Date: 2 March 2011
Decision: Upheld
WDFC UK Ltd t/a Wonga.com A TV ad for a payday loan company featured a man and a puppet playing guitars. The voice-over stated "With wonga.com, you're always in control. You decide how much you want to borrow and for...
Date: 2 April 2014
Decision: Not Upheld
Wonga.com Ltd A TV ad for a short-term loan company featured three puppets that were portrayed as elderly employees in an office. Two of the puppets addressed the camera and made statements including "We...
Date: 4 July 2012
Decision: Not Upheld
WDFC UK Ltd t/a wonga.com A direct mailing for a payday loan company addressed the recipient directly by name and offered short-term loans. Text stated "new customers pay even less. We're waiving our transmission fee,...
Date: 16 April 2014
Decision: Not Upheld

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

Consumer Credit (Advertisements) Regulations 2010

Financial Services (Distance Marketing) Regulations 2004 (as amended).

.

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

Hmmm

"(2) Paragraph (1)(a) shall not apply where regulation 6(1) applies and the credit advertisement does not indicate a rate of interest or other amount relating to the cost of the credit other than the representative APR''

Which I don't think it does

[Mr $quandaŁot]

Re: Such a great country...

Does it make any difference if people complain?

In the UK authorities don't really care. Some talk a lot but do nothing or send you a fob off response ending 'I'm sorry this may not be what you were hoping for...". If you then complain further they say 'I have nothing more to add'. How are you supposed to deal with regulators like this?

[Amethyst]

Re: Such a great country...

The ASA are actually quite good, if you look through the adjudications there are quite a few where only 2 or 3 complaints have been made.

In that adverts case I don't know if it does actually breach the rules on APR etc, although I think they have been told off before for the five minute statement.