THE deadline is looming for Americans to claim a chunk of a $115 million payout due to privacy concerns.

It comes after a class action lawsuit was filed against cloud applications provider Oracle America, Inc. in California in 2023.

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The complaint alleges that the company illegally collected personal information and sold it to third parties for advertising purposes.

“Oracle improperly captured, compiled, and sold individuals’ online
and offline data to third parties without obtaining their consent,” the class action notice claims.

Web activity, purchases made online, geolocation and other personal information were reportedly collected and sold by the company.

Oracle collaborates with the likes of Uber, AMC, and MGM Resorts.

While agreeing to a $115 million settlement, Oracle admits no wrongdoing.

COMPENSATION

Under the terms of the agreement, claimants will receive an equal share of the settlement fund.

It is not currently known how much money each claimant will receive as the net settlement fund will be impacted by how many eligible claims are received.

As well as monetary compensation Oracle is also changing some of its operations in the wake of the lawsuit.

The company will review its privacy systems and will no longer collect user information from forms and referrer websites on its own site.

Those who are eligible for payment will have had their personal information collected and/or sold since August 19, 2018.

Data that was sold may have been made available through ID Graph, Data Marketplace, or another advertising product used by Oracle since the above date.

However, those who believe they are eligible have just four days left to file a claim.

To do so, eligible members are urged to visit the settlement website where they will be directed to a claim form submission portal.

KEY DATES

The final date to submit a form is October 17 with those wishing to object or exclude themselves from the settlement also asked to appeal by this date.

Those who exclude themselves from the settlement will not receive any money but will retain their right to sue Oracle in the future regarding the same complaint.

Meanwhile, eligible claimants who do nothing will not receive any money and will forfeit their legal rights.

A final approval hearing is scheduled for November 14.

This is where a judge will review the settlement and its terms and decide how much money each claimant will receive after various deductions.

Meanwhile, thousands of Americans are eligible for part of a $29.5 million settlement involving Citibank.

Each claimant could get a payment of up to $850 if they were impacted by calls regarding credit card balances between August 15, 2014 and July 31, 2024.

However, the deadline is looming for Citibank customers to take action.

RACHEL Reeves has all-but confirmed a National Insurance raid on bosses – despite warnings it would be a “straightforward breach” of Labour’s manifesto.

The Chancellor paved the way for a hike to the tax paid for by employers’ at the October 30 Budget.

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It has sparked uproar given Labour’s cast-iron campaign pledge not to raise the rates of National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT.

Ministers are now trying to claim this only ever applied to the employee rate of NICs, rather than the tax levied on employers – despite not clarifying this in the manifesto.

Grilled on the impending u-turn, Ms Reeves insisted “it was very clear it’s about taxes on working people.”

But  Paul Johnson – head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies – told Times Radio: “It seems to me that would be a straightforward breach of a manifesto commitment.

“I went back and read the manifesto and it says very clearly ‘we will not raise rates of national insurance’. It doesn’t specify employee national insurance.”

However the economist said that if Ms Reeves does want to raise large amounts of money “then she almost certainly will have to breach that manifesto one way or another.”

The Chancellor is scrambling to fund Labour’s manifesto promises while sticking to the vow there will be “no return to austerity”.

In a bid to make the sums add up, the October 30 Budget is expected to include big tax raids, including on capital gains.

Shadow Welfare Secretary Mel Stride said a hike on employer NICs would “damage growth and break a key manifesto commitment.”

He added: “They cannot credibly argue that their clear pledge not to raise National Insurance excludes Employer’s NI.”

HUNDREDS of thousands of homeowners are making a costly mortgage mistake that is adding thousands of pounds a year to their bills.

Borrowers who fail to take out a new mortgage in time before their term ends are automatically shifted on to their lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR).

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These default rates are typically far higher than fixed or variable deals and the difference can translate into thousands of pounds extra on mortgage bills.

A whopping 600,000 mortgage borrowers are currently on a costly SVR, according to UK Finance, and could be overpaying by thousands of pounds a year.

The average standard variable rate currently stands at a whopping 7.96%, according to data site Moneyfacts.co.uk.

The Sun has asked all of the major mortgage lenders for their current SVRs and we will update this article once we hear back.

In comparison, the average two-year fixed rate is currently 5.37%.

The difference means that homeowners could be missing out on annual savings of more than £4,000, according to Mojo Mortgages.

For an average-priced home in the UK – £267,100 – with a 75% loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, you’d be looking at a monthly repayment of £1,447 on a 7.25% SVR.

Whereas a five-year fixed-rate of 4.05%, monthly mortgage payments stand at £1,062.

Over a year, that adds up to a difference of £4,620.

For a two-year fix with a rate of 4.52%, the potential average savings compared to a SVR would be £3,984.

Experts have warned that falling on to an SVR is a costly mistake to avoid.

A spokesperson for Mojo Mortgages said: “If you’re unsure what interest rate you’re on, you should review your mortgage statement.

“This will typically include your current interest rate. Look for sections labelled “interest rate” or “current terms”. 

“If your statement doesn’t provide this confirmation, reach out to your mortgage lender directly.”

When you come to the end of your mortgage, your current lender will usually offer you to switch to a new deal – it tends to be an easy process and you can switch as much as six months before your deal ends to make sure you don’t sli[ on to an SVR.

Even if you’re in difficulty, your lender should help you find the best deal for your circumstances.

There are very few instances when a mortgage adviser, or broker, would recommend a borrower be on a SVR.

Chris Sykes, technical director at broker Private Finance, previously told The Sun: “The only real situation, i’d recommend a client be on an SVR is where they’re looking to sell the property in the very near future.

“If they’re looking to sell it in the longer term, it’s probably better to go on to a tracker rate with no early redemption fees.”

Tracker mortgages have variable rates, but are likely to be lower and linked to the BoE base rate than SVRs.

Unlike fixed-rate mortgages it’s easier to find tracker mortgages without any early repayment fees so you can exit the deal if you sell your home, for example.

SVR rates can move up and down at any time but lenders often adjust these rates in response to changes in the Bank of England base rate.

Should you fix your mortgage now?

If you’re looking for peace of mind over your mortgage payment a fixed rate deal is likely to be the best option.

Your repayments won’t rise, or fall, for the duration of the deal so you can budget with confidence.

Most fixed-rate mortgages come with large early repayment fees, so if you believe you could want to exit the deal before the term ends – for example, if you move home – a variable rate without exit fees may be a better bet.

A good independent mortgage broker can help you weigh up the pros and cons of different mortgage options.

FIGHTING mould in the colder months could cost as little as £7.99 with an item that some have branded a “game changer”.

Reusable dehumidifier bags can help tackle condensation which can appear on windows around the home in the colder months.

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The Simply Reusable Car Dehumidifier can be bought from Halfords for as cheap £7.99 making it a bargain investment.

The compact bag absorbs and releases moisture due to its silica gel interior.

It features a heat sensor which changes from blue to pink to indicate when it needs to be “recharged” back in a microwave.

The gadget has become popular online with drivers praising that it can clear your windscreen.

Yet savvy shoppers online have noticed the dehumidifier bags can be used anywhere – such as on window sills at home.

One user took to TikTok to explain: “I leave mine in the car and when I go to it in the morning there’s less condensation”.

While another user pointed out that they were “amazing in the car, van, house – anywhere!”

People also commented on the post saying the bag was a “need”.

And another person said: “They’re amazing. They make such a difference.”

Dehumidifying your home is essential in the colder months as condensation can quickly develop into signs of mould.

The reusable bags are a low cost method compared to investing big bucks into an electric dehumidifier which plugs into the wall.

For example, the SIP 20 Litre Dehumidifier from Halfords costs £239.99.

The small bags can be placed on window sills and in corners where electrical appliances might not reach.

You also get to avoid the cost of running an electrical appliance – and while dehumidifiers only 4p an hour it always helps to save on these monthly costs.

Especially from this month onwards as 28 million households on standard variable tariffs (SVT) face an increased energy price cap.

According to Ofgem, which sets the limit, bills are set to rise by 10% from this month onwards causing households to spend an annual £149 extra on average.

Therefore those dodging turning the heating on and instead finding methods to heat themselves could still see their homes affected by cold weather.

Mould spores can cause health problems unknowingly by contaminating respiratory air and causing allergic reactions to your skin.

Mould can also be a pain to blast once it’s settled.

CheckATrade values the average mould removal cost this year to be £30 an hour – or as much as £300 a room.

Therefore by making the much smaller £7.99 investment you could avoid having to pay for damage repair costs down the line.

You’d typically find the pouch-like gadget down a motoring aisle or in an auto retailer like Halfords.

Other places where you can purchase affordable reusable dehumidifier bags include The Range and Amazon.

The Range sells theirs at a bit more expensive a cost at £8.99.

Whereas some products on Amazon, such as the FPD 2 Car Reusable Humidifier bags, can cost as little as £5.98.

As usual we recommend shopping around to get the best prices.

It’s always a great trick to use the “sort by” tool while browsing and selecting “cheapest first” to see the best deals.

There are other portable dehumidifiers you could try too.

We tested five different mini dehumifiers including plug-in models and similar ones to Halfords.

The winner costs £10.99 from Robert Dyas but it only lasts three months so you will need to buy refill tablets.

Meanwhile, we also tried a heated airer and a dehumidifier for drying clothes without heating.

Plus, we’ve tried five popular tricks to get rid of condensation and mould.

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

M&S SHOPPERS have shared their devastation after noticing a beloved range missing from shelves.

Eagle-eyed shoppers have raised concerns after some of the supermarket’s vegan “Plant Kitchen” range is not in its usual spot.

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Disgruntled customers have taken to X, formally, known as Twitter, to flag the issue with M&S.

One user wrote: “@marksandspencer why have you got rid of most of your Plant Kitchen range? I’ve noticed most of it has disappeared in most stores with the exception of the odd ready meal or frozen thing”

Another shopper was confused as to why the entire range was missing from their local branch.

They said: “@marksandspencer Finsbury Park has got completely rid of their vegan/Plant Kitchen section.”

Meanwhile, a third shopper said they were “distraught” after noticing its vegan “Sweet n Sour” ready meal was no longer available at their branch.

M&S launched its Plant Kitchen range in 2019 following a rise in veganism and meat alternatives.

It has become a fan favourite among shoppers as some Brits remain conscious about their consumption of animal products.

But despite concerns from shoppers, the range is not being axed completely.

The popular retailer has confirmed to The Sun the Plant Kitchen range is instead undergoing a major revamp.

An M&S spokesperson said: “We are currently working through a big project to relaunch our Plant Kitchen vegan range.

“We have not changed the number of vegan products per se, but are in the process of changing their design, upgrading the product quality, launching some key new lines while removing a few others and changing their position in store.”

As part of the revamp, some products will no longer be in a designated vegan section and will be spread across the store instead.

For example, a plant-based burger will now be sold alongside beef products.

M&S said this is to support customers who are looking to reduce meat in their diet and try meat-alternative products.

But this has not impressed some customers with one describing it as a “terrible” idea in a Reddit post.

While another joked: “Suddenly realising I’m incredibly lazy and can’t be bothered to walk around the entire store to find the few ready meals I can actually eat.”

A third customer described the change in lay out as “ridiculous”.

Meanwhile, some of M&S’s vegan products are undergoing a refresh, meaning their recipe or packing is being changed. These include:

• Plant Kitchen Lasagne – returning in January
• Plant Kitchen stonebaked vegan chicken pizza – replaced with Plant Kitchen BBQ Veggie Pizza
• Plant Kitchen Margherita Sourdough Pizza – currently removed but returning
• Plant Kitchen Wood Fired Hot and Spicy pizza – currently removed but returning

It is not clear when some of these items will be making a return but The Sun will update this article when it receives confirmation.

M&S has also launched four new vegan items which include:

• Plant Kitchen Battered Sweet & Sour Cauliflower
• Plant Kitchen Mushroom Bolognese
• Plant Kitchen Spinach & Cannellini Bean Ravioli

It is not unusual for M&S to change product ranges.

Earlier this year the store said it would axe some of the treats from its Colin and Connie sweet range as part of a product relaunch.

Over the summer, M&S scrapped its Colin and Connie “Together Forever” sweets.

M&S also confirmed that it is quietly axing the Colin The Caterpillar Fizzy Rainbow sweets.

The sweets were rainbow in colour with a sour sugary coating.

What else is new at M&S?

Thankfully, it is not all doom and gloom for M&S shoppers as the retailer confirmed it will bring back an iconic drink this Christmas.

The supermarket’s original snow globe gin liqueur will make a return for the holidays after a hiatus.

Previously, the gin came in two flavours – Clementine and Spiced Sugar Plum – but this year, only the Clementine one will be sold.

The store has started rolling out its entire Christmas range to shoppers, which includes hot honey over halloumi in blankets brie brulee, and Turkey Feast dip.

M&S’s food-to-order range for the holidays is also now open for online orders and collection between December 22 and December 24.

Why are products axed or recipes changed?

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ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders.

Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether.

They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers.

There are several reasons why this could be done.

For example, government regulation, like the “sugar tax,” forces firms to change their recipes.

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Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs.

They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable.

For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018.

It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version.

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Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year.

Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks.

While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.

WILKO shoppers will soon be able to get thousands of products directly to their doors in less than 25 minutes.

The beloved discounter is continuing its resurgence after falling into administration in 2023 and shutting all its shops.

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The chain has now teamed up with courier service Deliveroo and will be delivering a range of 3,000 homeware essentials.

Available through the Deliveroo app product ranges include: garden, home, kitchen, DIY, cleaning, pet care and storage. 

It means you can bag the items Wilko is most known for like dog poo bags and sachets of seeds in under 25 minutes.

The rollout is set to start with just 10 sites in the UK, before rolling out more widely.

The first 10 sites are:

• Edinburgh
• Bristol
• Nottingham
• Bournemouth
• Eccles
• Manchester
• Bedford
• Harlow
• Plymouth
• Leeds

This will be the first time Wilko has offered an on-demand, rapid delivery service.

The partnership will be expanded to a further 50 locations across the country by the end of the year.

Alex Simpkin, group chief executive officer at CDS Superstores trading as Wilko and The Range, said: “It’s great to be making Wilko so much more accessible to its loyal customer base. 

“There’s a huge love for the brand and while we continue to open new stores this partnership gives us the opportunity to reach people quicker. All the great things you expect from Wilko and more in as little as 25 minutes!”

Wilko is the latest brand to sell homeware essentials on the Deliveroo app.

Eric French, Chief Operating Officer at Deliveroo, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome family favourite Wilko onto Deliveroo and to offer their huge range of household essentials for delivery in as little as 25 minutes.

“Our customers really value the convenience of having the high street brought to their doorstep, and that’s why we’re excited to continue our collaborations with well-loved retailers like Wilko as we expand ‘Deliveroo Shopping’ and add more selection for our customers.”

You can download the Deliveroo app through your phone’s app store for free.

Wilko’s return

Millions of hearts broke around the country when beloved high street staple Wilko announced it was shutting all of its shops.

The discount retailer is slowly rebuilding its presence on high streets after collapsing into administration in August 2023 and closing all of its 400 stores.

Following several failed rescue bids, fellow bargain chain The Range bought Wilko‘s name and intellectual property.

CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, relaunched the latter’s website shortly after the sale went through and began selling classic Wilko products in the former’s stores.

Then, in late November, the retailer shocked fans by announcing that physical stores would also be making a comeback.

By December, three shops were open in Plymouth, Exeter, and Luton.

In March, a further two sites opened in St Albans and Rotherham. In August the chain welcomed its sixth store in Poole.

Wilko has confirmed that its Uxbridge store will open its doors to customers at 9am on November 22 – right in time for Christmas.

This store launch forms part of Wilko’s expansion plans, with a further national roll-out planned.

Most recently the chain also launched its first Amazon webshop on the retail giant’s site.

Shoppers can browse and shop ranges including pet essentials, cleaning products, paint, electricals, storage, homewares, and soft furnishings such as curtains and bedding.

What other retailers have made a comeback?

It has been a tough time for retailers since Covid and the last few years have seen many vanish from our high streets.

The rising cost of living and expensive rents have all been playing a part in the demise of some of our much-loved high street names.

This week saw the return of the beloved record chain Our Price.

The record store was once a staple of the UK high street from the early 1970s until 2004.

The first store was on London‘s Finchley Road, and the brand had as many as 300 branches at its peak, making it one of the biggest music store chains in the UK.

Last week Our Price revealed it would be making a return as music lovers will once again be able to buy thousands of vinyls and other merch.

Shoppers can browse the catalogue online for now only, owners have not ruled out the return to physical stores at some point in the future.

Toys R Us is also among those which has managed to make a comeback.

The popular toy brand opened up nine new shops in 2023 after vanishing from the high street in 2018.

However, the new stores are slightly different as they are “shop-in-shops” and are located inside WHSmith stores.

Toys R Us will be opening 30 new shops across the UK this summer following the successful opening of almost a dozen stores last year.

In October last year, Paperchase also made a return after closing all of its 134 shops and concessions earlier in the year.

However, supermarket giant Tesco stepped in and bought the rights to the brand and then went on to launch it in some of its stores.

A total of 261 Tesco stores now stock Paperchase products – we have the full list here.

M&Co, previously called Mackay’s, fell into administration for the second time in two years in December 2022.

Fellow retailer Yours Clothing bought the M&Co brand and intellectual property.

The retailer launched a new M&Co website in June 2023 and The Sun exclusively revealed its plans to open up physical stores starting in May 2024.

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