NEW rules requiring banks to reimburse people tricked into transferring money to a fraudster have come into force today.

Under the shake-up, banks must reimburse authorised push payment (APP) fraud victims unless the customer has been “grossly negligent”.

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Customers were initially set to receive reimbursements of up to £415,000.

However, the new rules have now implemented a cap of £85,000.

Banks can exceed this limit and repay higher amounts if they choose.

But, they also have the power to impose a £100 excess fee when settling claims, a policy that five banks have now adopted.

So, if your claim is for a payment of £100 or less, trying to recover the money may not be of any benefit.

Only four firms have pledged not to apply this charge: Nationwide, Virgin Money, TSB, and AIB.

Five banks – HSBC, First Direct, Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland – have said they will not cover fraud claims below £100.

The rest say that they “may” cover them or will judge each claim on a case-by-case basis.

Starling Bank says it may apply an excess of £50 rather than £100.

The only way to avoid this caveat is to switch to one of the four banks which have pledged not to apply these charges.

The £100 excess cannot be applied to vulnerable consumers under the Payment Systems Regulator’s (PSR) rules.

Liz Edwards, money expert at Finder, said: “Victim’s protection has been squeezed at both ends. When the upper refund limit was cut to just £85,000, many in the industry, including the PSR, justified this by saying it would still cover over 99% of claims.

“But because so many banks are now saying they won’t cover – or may not cover – the first £100, that 99% must surely be lower.

“Based on 2023 fraud figures, more than 58,000 cases would have resulted in no refund if all companies had applied the excess, and now only four of the major providers have confirmed they won’t.

“£100 is a lot of money to many people. It doesn’t help that 12 banks said they might apply it – customers don’t know where they stand.”

The new protections apply from October 7 and only when a transfer is made to and from a UK bank account.

Previously, many bank customers have relied on a voluntary code to get their money back.

Concerns were raised that consumers faced a refund “lottery”.

Fraud is broadly split into authorised and unauthorised.

Authorised fraud occurs when individuals are deceived into willingly handing over money or consenting to fraudulent payments.

Unauthorised fraud involves criminals stealing financial information to obtain products or services in the victims’ names.

A fraud explosion in recent years has seen criminals pose as trusted institutions such as banks, companies, or government departments to persuade people to part with their cash, and scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

According to figures from UK Finance, the total number of APP cases jumped by 12% annually last year to 232,429. Reported losses to this type of scam totalled £459.7 million.

Purchase scams accounted for around two-thirds (67%) of the total number of APP cases in 2023.

With a purchase scam, someone pays in advance for goods or services that are never received, often ordered online, such as through an auction website or social media.

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM SCAMMERS

More than three-quarters of authorised fraud starts online.

When handing over cash for goods or services found online that you haven’t yet received, you should be extra vigilant against scams. 

Fraudsters often use popular events, such as the recently announced Oasis concerts, to prey on victims.   

Buy from reputable sources and sites to protect yourself.

Alarm bells should be ringing if prices are too good to be true.

Take the time to carry out extra checks on unknown sources. 

Fraud cases originating through phone calls make up fewer cases, but losses are often far larger.

These are typically when criminals impersonate banks or other trusted sources.  

It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore requests for cash.

Usually, criminals will try to pressure or rush you into payments.

If you doubt a caller’s identity, call a trusted company or organisation phone number to check. 

A THIRD of working parents have had to reduce their working hours – due to difficulties accessing childcare.

A poll of 3,000 employed mums and dads of children up to 11 revealed the struggles they face, with 31 per cent requesting flexible working arrangements to balance their responsibilities.

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Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) rely on partners or other family members who have had to reduce their paid work or even quit their job.

And 16 per cent claim the impact of accessing childcare has led to them avoiding applying for new roles.

But despite the support provided, 46 per cent say they find it hard to maintain boundaries between their job and homelife.

Jane van Zyl, CEO of the charity Working Families, which commissioned the study ahead of National Work Life Week (7th-11th October), said: “Accessing affordable and reliable childcare has become a significant challenge for many families.

“A lot of parents are struggling to balance work and family life due to limited availability, rising costs, and long waiting lists.

“It’s not just an inconvenience – it’s a barrier that impacts career opportunities, financial stability, and overall well-being.”

The study also found 75 per cent regularly work overtime, as 23 per cent claim it’s the only way to manage their workload.

Nearly three in 10 (28 per cent) are implementing variable hours, 19 per cent are remote, and 15 per cent work term-time hours only to help with childcare issues.

However, a fifth of parents don’t have any flexible arrangements in place – with this being most prominent in the transport and logistics sector (42 per cent).

Parents who work in retail (32 per cent), leisure, sport and tourism (30 per cent), and hospitality and events management (29 per cent) are also impacted.

Despite 62 per cent claiming their employer cares about their work life balance, 51 per cent have previously refrained from applying for a job because it didn’t offer flexibility.

This is important as it allows them to manage childcare responsibilities (63 per cent), spend quality time with family (46 per cent), and helps to reduce the overall cost (45 per cent).

It also emerged parents believe flexible working has led to development of new skills (61 per cent), and an increased in loyalty to their current employer (73 per cent).

While 77 per cent of those polled via OnePoll.com went as far to say it has allowed them to stay in their current role.

However, six in 10 currently work shifts, with 27 per cent receiving up to only one weeks’ notice of their schedule – making it difficult to organise childcare arrangements.

Jane van Zyl added: “Flexible working is not only a benefit—it’s a necessity for today’s parents who are juggling work and family life.

“By offering more adaptable work arrangements, we empower parents to be present for their children while continuing to thrive professionally.

“We’ll be paying close attention to the upcoming changes to the Employment Bill expected this week to see how the Government are planning to overcome the challenges working parents are facing through more robust flexible working policies.”

Flexible working campaigner and ambassador for Working Families, Anna Whitehouse – also known as Mother Pukka – said: “This is the reality for so many parents – we’re stuck in a cycle where childcare is either unaffordable or unavailable, forcing families to make impossible choices.

“Parents are cutting back their hours or missing out on job opportunities just to get by day-to-day. The system, as it stands, doesn’t work.

“If we truly want to support families, we need workplaces that make it possible for parents to manage the balancing act of work and childcare, without having to sacrifice their own wellbeing.”

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

SHOPPERS could see an unexpected item on shelves this Christmas for the first time ever.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencers have confirmed they will stock home-grown strawberries in their supermarkets this winter season.

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Fruit suppliers have innovated new technology which allows strawberries to be grown in the UK all year round.

The Summer Berry Company, a supplier in West Sussex, will be growing the fruit 12 months a year and supplying supermarkets.

Strawberries are usually imported over winter due to economic and environmental reasons.

However, the company has installed £6million of fresh technology which will produce 600,000 punnets for the retailers over the colder seasons.

Shoppers will be able to get their hands on the British strawberries this Christmas as an exciting new addition to their festive celebrations and desserts.

Typically the British strawberry season runs from May to October, and are a familiar sight in summer commonly associated with the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

It is still unknown whether the price of the strawberries will change in supermarkets in accordance with the new supplier’s demand and quality.

Prices also naturally vary day to day, so its best to keep checking online.

For example, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are always launching new Clubcard and Nectar prices which are easy to view via the mobile app.

A 227g punnet of strawberries, sourced outside of Great Britain, is currently available in M&S and Tesco for £2.30.

While Sainsbury’s currently offers the cheaper deal, priced at £2 for 250g of strawberries – a greater quantity plus a 30p save.

The cheapest place to buy strawberries is Aldi, which retails its charming “wonky strawberries” from Belgium for just £1.39 a 227g punnet.

Remember that, while its good to be environmentally conscious, it’s more important to make sure you eat comfortably this winter in the cost of living crisis.

As always, we recommend you compare prices before you shop, by searching for the exact product you need on multiple different websites.

You can also use the “sort by” tool to select the “cheapest first”, making sure you secure all the best deals.

And by getting to the store at the right time (usually in the afternoon), you could also be lucky enough to spot some yellow stickers.

Keeping your eye out for yellow stickers means you can purchase perfectly healthy produce, which has simply passed its sell-by date, for a reduced price.

Many stores do this at the same time every day, so its good to note when reductions are happening if you notice them in your local supermarket – that way next time you could be the first in line.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

VINTED has abruptly closed its new professional selling platform to new members after it made some users’ National Insurance (NI) numbers publicly available, putting them at risk of fraud, The Sun has learned.

The second-hand selling website launched Vinted Pro last week to allow sellers to register as a sole trader and be identified as professional sellers.

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But the much-anticipated launch was quickly overshadowed when users realised it had displayed some Vinted Pro members’ National Insurance numbers publicly on their profile, meaning anyone could see them.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) advises that you should not share your NI number with anyone who does not need it to prevent identity fraud.

The Sun has learned that the Independent Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is now investigating the breach after a number of sellers reported it.

A spokesperson for the ICO told The Sun: “We can confirm that we have been contacted regarding Vinted and are currently assessing the information provided.”

Vinted has now removed the ability for users to upgrade their accounts to Vinted Pro to prevent anyone else being affected by the breach while it fixes the technical issue.

A spokesperson for Vinted told The Sun: “For a small number of Vinted Pro members, their NI number was visible on their profile page.

“While our teams were working on fixing the issue completely, we temporarily halted the ability to upgrade accounts to Vinted Pro.

“We apologise to anyone that was affected and encourage members who have questions to reach out to our member support team.”

It is understood that affected users’ NI numbers have now been hidden since The Sun got in touch – but those impacted had the private detail displayed on their profile for several days.

The only way Vinted sellers could hide their NI number from public view was to delete their account or set it to “holiday mode”, which meant they could no longer sell any items.

Vinted declined to disclose how many Vinted Pro users were affected, but it is understood that it did not involve all members.

However, dozens of users have taken to social media to express their fury over what happened.

One angry Vinted user posted on forum Reddit: “An absolute disaster – I am currently going through the same issue here, so I had to Holiday Mode my shop until I hear back from them, which could be quite a lot of lost revenue judging the amount of time they take to get back to me.”

Another added: “I’ve deleted my account because of this, I hope they have reported themselves to ICO? It’s quite serious!”

Another furious user who spoke with The Sun said he is a huge Vinted seller and has already earned £25,000 through the site this year, but is now planning to switch to eBay.

“They have messed up big time with Vinted Pro, I have emailed their CEO and will be ringing the ICO,” he said.

Experts have warned that the serious breach could have left members at risk of identity fraud or being targeted by scammers.

Dan McLoughlin, fraud and security expert at Lynx Tech, explained: “NI numbers are unique identifiers across various government, employment, and financial systems.

“This means if your NI number gets into the wrong hands, fraudsters can leverage it to apply for loans or credit cards in your name, potentially building up significant debt.

“Fraudsters can also use your NI number to open banking accounts for money laundering or other illicit activities, implicating you in their crimes.

“Fraud losses increased by 53% in 2023, so protecting personal information has never been more important.”

Consumer disputes expert Scott Dixon, who runs website The Complaints Resolver, said HMRC asked Vinted to request NI numbers from sellers to ensure they pay the correct tax, but this should never have been made publicly available.

“This is a serious breach and the ICO should take action against Vinted and have the powers to do so,” he said.

“Vinted should also liaise with the ICO for guidance on what they need to do to remedy it.”

He added that if your NI is exposed in the public domain and you become a victim of fraud as a result, you could be entitled to compensation.

We have asked Vinted if it will pay any compensation to affected members and will update if we hear back.

What should I do if I’ve been affected?

If your NI number is on display, it’s a good idea to hide it by putting your shop into holiday mode until the issue is resolved.

You can make a complaint to Vinted through the website/app or make a complaint to the ICO by visiting: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/.

You can also apply for Protective Registration for two years if you’re worried your personal details have been leaked – however, this costs £30.

You can apply online by visiting: cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/protective-registration/application-form.

Over the next few weeks, it’s a good idea to be extra vigilant. If you receive any unexpected calls, verify the number before handing over any personal or bank details.

It’s a good idea to hang up and call back the right number. Remember that companies can “spoof” phone numbers, so just because it shows the right number, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a scam.

And don’t open any unexpected links, as these could be phishing for further personal info.

If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, you should report it to your bank, building society or any credit cards you use as soon as possible, and report any transactions you don’t recognise.

You should also report your case to Action Fraud, which will give you a crime reference number.

It’s worth checking your credit reports, too, and flag if you spot anything on there that wasn’t you – your credit reference agency can make a note for other lenders to see if you’re disputing a missed payment or unexpected loan.

What is Vinted Pro?

Vinted Pro launched in the UK last week to enable sellers to register as sole traders, or to allow businesses to register as sellers.

Active sellers on the Vinted app have started being messaged informing them about the new service and suggesting they can upgrade their account.

It is free to upgrade to Vinted Pro, and it’s free to sell an unlimited number of items.

Do you need to pay tax on items sold on Vinted?

QUICK facts on tax from the team at Vinted…

• The only time that an item might be taxable is if it sells for more than £6,000 and there is profit (sells for more than you paid for it). Even then, you can use your capital gains tax-free allowance of £3,000 to offset it.
• Generally, only business sellers trading for profit (buying goods with the purpose of selling for more than they paid for them) might need to pay tax. Business sellers who trade for profit can use a tax-free allowance of £1,000, which has been in place since 2017.
• More information here: vinted.co.uk/no-changes-to-taxes

However, Pro accounts must also follow certain consumer rules. For example, they have to offer 14-day returns for faulty items, and they must provide contact details.

Professional sellers must declare themselves as a “Pro Seller” and this label will appear on their profile to identify them as a business.

You can have a Vinted Pro account and a regular account.

The full list of terms and conditions can be read at vinted.co.uk/pro-terms-of-use.

EUROMILLIONS winner Adrian Bayford is planning on renting out his luxury eco-farmhouse to make some extra cash.

The ex-postie who scooped up £148million in 2012 with his ex-wife Gillian bought the mega-mansion two years after he won big on the lottery.

Great Wilbraham Hall in Cambridge is now in the process of becoming a refurbished short-term holiday home – for those who can afford it.

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The farmhouse was used by family and friends until last summer, where it has since stood empty.

Before it’s on the market, Bayford is keen to give the property a revamp and has applied to Greater Cambridge Planning to make some changes.

His planning permission application stated: “The applicant seeks full planning permission for the change of use of Great Wilbraham Hall Farmhouse from residential use to short-term holiday let.”

“As the property has been vacant for some time and there are signs of deterioration in condition we feel that a refurbishment program is necessary to bring the property back into a viable use.”

The 53-year-old lottery winner has also asked for Listed Building consent to create six bedrooms which would sleep 13 people.

This would include a conversion of a first floor bedroom into a bathroom, internal redecoration, an upgraded kitchen, and refurbishing and re-painting the sash windows.

All changes would be made internally and the outside of the property, and the restate of the estate, would remain the same.

The planning application states why Bayford believes the refurb is necessary.

“We feel this program of refurbishment will protect the condition of the property for years to come and will provide much sought after accommodation.”

This isn’t the first time the fancy farmhouse has been upgraded with the rock music fanatic planning to install a set of solar panels in September.

These sustainable energy sources would generate enough electricity to power the entire estate.

The multi-millionaire used his prize money to purchase the two-storey thatched farmhouse building, splashing out on the estate.

Big spender Bayford is no stranger to luxury as these property refurbishments follow a ‘no expense-spared’ wedding after splitting with wife and with fellow winner Gillian.

After a string of unsuccessful entanglements, the millionaire proposed to Tracey Biles, 45, his fourth fiancée in 12 years.

Bayford’s friend told The Sun they are planning a massive bash abroad.

To prove his commitment to his ambulance worker Tracey, he has moved her parents into one of the cottages on his estate.

His friend added: “I mean, that might not be for everyone but they all get on so well — and, let’s face it, there’s plenty of room up there.”

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MILLIONS could save money on their bills this winter as an energy scheme is set to be extended all year round.

The National Grid’s “Demand Flexibility Service” (DFS) is due to return this year.

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But, for the first time since the scheme’s introduction in 2022, the scheme will now throughout the year.

The DFS is designed to reduce pressure on the energy network.

Under the service, households who use less electricity than they normally do during certain allotted hours are paid for the savings.

Last year, 2.2million businesses and households signed up, along with 43 providers,

National Grid’s National Electricity System Operator (NESO), a subsidiary of the operator, has confirmed that the scheme will be starting again during the colder months – pending Ofgem approval.

But, this year the DFS has been tweaked and will instead be used throughout the year instead of just during the winter months.

This won’t make a difference to how customers use the scheme, it just means they will be able to participate as often as they’d like across the year, rather than just during winter.

NESO said the change is due to a low risk of blackouts this winter, which is what it was originally designed to combat.

It means it no longer needs to be used as an emergency contingency plan because Britain is less likely to lose power this winter than last year,

NESO says it expects power plants, wind farms and other generation methods to be able to provide more than enough power to meet demand.

Given the improved outlook, the DFS has been redesigned so NESO can keep managing its margins, which is the difference between the supply of electricity and demand for it, all year round.

Craig Dyke, director of system operations at NESO, said: “As we publish our first Winter Outlook as the National Energy System Operator, it is positive to see that margins forecast for this winter are the highest since 2019/20.

“While our margin assessment has improved from previous winters, we are continuing to monitor risks and uncertainties and, if necessary, will take steps to build resilience.

“We and the rest of the energy industry will as always continue to prepare for a range of potential eventualities so that we are fully prepared for this coming winter.”

The changes to the scheme mean that homes and businesses across Great Britain will again be able to earn pounds, points or prizes across the period by shifting their energy usage outside of allotted periods.

Once approved, customers and businesses will be able to sign up to participate in this year’s Demand Flexibility Service in the coming months, following regulatory approval from Ofgem. 

In previous years you were only able to take part in the service if you have a smart meter – and your supplier will need to have signed up to the scheme.

Participating households could be paid to put on their dishwashers or charge their electric cars during off-peak hours.

Those looking to cash in from possible events are encouraged to turn expensive appliances off rather than sit in the dark.

This is because you won’t make as much of a saving by just switching your lights off.

Households must have signed up through their supplier, otherwise, they won’t be able to take part.

In 2023/24, big-name firms took part in the DFS including Octopus Energy, British Gas, OVO and EDF.

It ran 12 test events where households could make the savings, its unclear as yet how the rejigged scheme will be carried out.

In its first year, the DFS was originally trialled with Octopus Energy, and other suppliers then joined, these included British Gas, EDF, E.On, Ovo Energy, and Shell Energy.

Sun Money has contacted all the major energy firms to see if they can shed any light on how they will carry out the scheme all year round and what they will offer.

Each energy provider will have its own eligibility criteria to take part in the scheme though and how much you can earn will vary.

Last year, National Grid paid at least £3 for every kilowatt-hour saved during six of the 12 tests.

The cash is paid to the suppliers, which will likely retain a portion to cover administrative costs and make a profit.

The amount you get will depend on what your supplier offers, and not every firm will participate.

A list of this year’s registered service providers will be published on the NESO website soon and then updated throughout the winter.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories