Debt charities call for Vorderman ads to be axed

Debt charities, including the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) and Credit Action, have called on the well-known presenter to stop using her profile in the ads for the lender FirstPlus.

They fear that Vorderman’s reputation as a Maths whiz could cause consumers to turn to the loans when they may not be the best means of tackling a debt problem.

CCCS chairman, Malcolm Hulston, told the Daily Mail he though the public perception of her expertise with figures could prove persuasive and feared for people in financial difficulty being lead to an inappropriate solution.

The CCCS said that people should exercise caution when signing up to a loan secured on a home, as it can lead to repossession if repayments cannot be met.

A Real Story BBC investigation also found that FirstPlus employees had offered some customers the opportunity to borrow more than the value of their homes, leading to negative equity.

It highlighted one couple who were lent £47,000 in debt consolidation when they earned just £18,000 a year between them.

However, a spokesman for FirstPlus, defended the company’s use of Vorderman, adding that the majority of its customers “experience no problems” with loans.