Know your consumer rights and be protected
ALEXANDRA – Consumers' rights spelt out for them
March is Human Rights and Consumer Rights Month with the later commemorated on the 15th as World Consumer Rights Day.
On the day, the National Consumer Regulator coordinated events under the theme ‘Fighting Consumer Exploitation.’ With other related agencies, they intensified educational initiatives and advocacy on key consumer rights and responsibilities and encouraged the credit industry players to comply with the National Credit Act.
This was said by the NCR’s acting manager for education and communication, Advocate Kedilatile Legodi who in a statement, commended the collaboration of members of the Consumer Protection Forum (CPF), a government voluntary association of consumer protection bodies. They raised public awareness on compliance, consumer education, monitoring and mediums they use to promote awareness.
According to Legodi, consumers should be encouraged to know their credit rights to enable them to make informed credit decisions and speak up when necessary.”They can only exercise their rights and responsibilities if they are aware of them as prescribed in the Act.”
The rights include to:
- Apply for credit in good faith with truthful disclosure of all information and to receive reasons where the credit is declined by the provider
- Disclose the applicant’s information by the credit provider only through a pre-agreement statement before the applicant accepts and signs a credit agreement
- Receive documents in a simple official language understood by the consumer
- Confidential treatment of personal information which should only be used for the purpose of the consumer’s application
- Access and challenge information held at the credit bureau through an entitled receipt of one free credit report once a year from a credit provider and to challenge any incorrect information
- Assistance when struggling with repayments to avoid over-indebtedness.
The consumers are further advised to apply only to credit providers that are registered with the NCR, not to leave their bank cards and Pin numbers, Sassa cards and identity documents with a credit provider. “If they fall victim to such a practice, they should open a criminal case at a local police station and, also report to NCR on 0860 627 627 or info@ncr.org.za,” Legodi added.
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