Consumers ‘victims of €620m rip-off’

CONSUMERS have been ripped off to the tune of €620 million in the past four years, according to a watchdog website.

The report by ValueIreland.com shows more than 1.6 million customers were overcharged €623m for a range of goods and services from insurance companies to banks to phone companies from 2004 to 2008.

Editor of the website Diarmuid MacShane, a former director with the Consumer Association of Ireland, said he started compiling the name and shame list following a number of high-profile cases in 2004, and a survey by the website which found that more than 41% of Irish consumers did not check their bills before paying them.