Consumer Advice On Buying Shoes & Lost Cards — IELTS Reading Answers

If you return unwanted shoes straightaway, with a receipt, the shop will probably give you a refund.

“It is also likely that you will get one if you change your mind about the shoes and take them back immediately”

TRUE: if you 'change your mind' and 'take them back immediately', a refund is 'likely', so a prompt return justifies expecting one.

You are advised to accept a credit note if you are offered one.

“If you are offered a credit note, you don't have to accept it”

FALSE: 'you don't have to accept it' contradicts the advice to accept a credit note; the text leaves the decision to the customer.

The factory is responsible for replacing unwanted shoes.

“But don't be put off by the shop which claims that it's the manufacturer's responsibility. This isn't true. It's the shop's legal duty to put things right”

FALSE: the shop's claim that it is the 'manufacturer's responsibility' is called untrue; 'the shop's legal duty' is to put things right.

You can ask any shoe shop to send shoes to the Footwear Testing Centre.

“Most shops are covered by the Footwear Code of Practice. If the shop you are dealing with is covered, you can ask for the shoes to be sent to the Footwear Testing Centre for an independent opinion”

FALSE: only shops 'covered' by the Footwear Code must offer this, and 'most shops' are covered - not every shoe shop.

Shops prefer to give a credit note rather than change shoes.

“If you are offered a credit note, you don't have to accept it. If you accept it, you will usually not be able to exchange it for cash later on. So, you may be left with an unwanted credit note, if you cannot find any other shoes you want from the shop”

NOT GIVEN: the text warns you may be 'left with an unwanted credit note' but never says what shops prefer to give.

The customer contributes to the cost of having faulty shoes tested.

“There is a charge of £21. You pay £7 and the shop pays the rest (including postage)”

TRUE: of the £21 testing charge 'you pay £7' while the shop pays 'the rest', so the customer does contribute.

The procedure for making a legal claim is easier in Scotland.

“The small claims procedure for amounts up to £1000 (£750 in Scotland) is a cheap, easy and informal way of taking legal action”

NOT GIVEN: the £750 Scottish limit is lower, but nothing says whether making a claim is easier there; 'cheap, easy and informal' describes the procedure generally.

Legal advice and forms can be bought from certain shops.

“Alternatively, some bookshops sell advice packs which contain the relevant forms”

TRUE: 'some bookshops sell advice packs which contain the relevant forms', so advice and forms can indeed be bought from certain shops.

What should you do first if you lose a credit card?

1. Acontact your insurance company
2. Bwrite a letter
3. Ccontact the police
4. Dmake a phone callcorrect

“If you discover that your credit card, cheque book, debit card or cash card is missing, telephone the credit card company or bank as soon as possible”

Option D: the advice is to 'telephone the credit card company or bank as soon as possible', making a phone call the first step.

Credit Card Shield is

1. Aan insurance company which deals with card theft.
2. Ba system for registering people's card details.correct
3. Can emergency telephone answering service.
4. Dan agency for finding lost or stolen cards.

“Because plastic money is now so common, central registration schemes such as Credit Card Shield and Card Protection System exist to help customers whose cards are lost or stolen.”

Option B: Credit Card Shield is a 'central registration scheme' where you 'file details of all your cards' with a central registry.

When contacted, the Card Protection System company will

1. Ainform the police about the loss of the card.
2. Bget in touch with the relevant credit card companies.correct
3. Censure that lost cards are replaced.
4. Dgive details about the loss of the card to shops.

“As soon as you have called, your responsibility for any bills run up by the thief ends and the scheme's staff make sure that all the companies whose cards you had are notified”

Option B: after your call, 'the scheme's staff make sure that all the companies whose cards you had are notified', contacting the card issuers.

You are fully covered by both banks and shops if you lose

1. Aa cheque that is signed but not otherwise completed.
2. Ba blank unsigned cheque.correct
3. Ca Switch card.
4. Da credit card.

“Unless you have been careless – by signing blank cheques, say – you will not have to pay for any forged cheques a thief uses. The bank or shop that accepts them will have to bear the loss”

Option B: liability for forged cheques arises from 'signing blank cheques', so an unsigned blank cheque leaves 'the bank or shop' bearing the loss.

If you have written your personal number on a stolen card, you may have to

1. Ajoin a different credit card protection scheme.
2. Bpay up to £50 for any loss incurred.
3. Cpay for anything the thief buys on it.correct
4. Dchange your account to a different bank.

“Legally, you can be made to pay back any sums a thief withdraws using your card, but only up to the time you report the loss and up to £50, unless the bank can prove gross negligence, such as writing your personal identification number on your card”

Option C: writing your personal number on the card is 'gross negligence', which removes the £50 cap and makes you repay all 'sums a thief withdraws'.

What happens if your cash card is stolen?

1. AYou arrange for the card to be returned.
2. BThe bank stops you withdrawing money.
3. CYou may have to pay up to £50 of any stolen money.correct
4. DYou cannot use a cash card in future.

“Legally, you can be made to pay back any sums a thief withdraws using your card, but only up to the time you report the loss and up to £50, unless the bank can prove gross negligence, such as writing your personal identification number on your card”

Option C: a cash-card holder can be made to repay 'any sums a thief withdraws', limited to '£50' before the loss is reported.