From fraudulent purchases on customers’ accounts, accusations of reckless lending to inaccurate handling of credit information – these were some of the 3,643 new disputes that the office of the Credit Ombud handled last year, according to its annual report released recently.

The Credit Ombud  oversees disputes between consumers and credit providers. In 2020, it settled 64% of the disputes in favour of consumers, saving them a total of R3.85m. Of the 3,643 disputes lodged, only two could not be finalised before the end of the financial year. ..