Getting financial help

Without expert advice, it can be difficult to decide on the best way to manage your money.

That is why Visa has launched its FACTS programme – Financial Awareness for Consumers, Teachers and Students across Europe.

FACTS will explore national and pan-European projects, working with consumer groups, educators, financial institutions and interested parties to identify, support and create initiatives that help to improve the availability and quality of financial education.

If you would like to explore your financial issues and opportunities further, you can ask an independent financial adviser or your bank for advice.

Scroll down to find your country - all links open in a new browser window.

Austria

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Ombudsman BVB

Ravensteinstraat 36
B 1000 Brussel
Belgium
Tel: +32 2 507 68 11
Fax: +32 2 507 69 79
Email: ombudsman@abb-bvb.be

Mediation Service Banks-Credit-Investment

Square de Meeûs 35/6
1000 Brussels
Claude Piqueur
Ombudsman
Tel: 00.32.2.545.77.70
Fax: 00.32.2.545.77.79
Email: ombudsman@ombfin.be
Internet: Mediation Service Banks-Credit-Investment website

Test Aankoop/Test Achats

Hollandstraat 13
1060 Brussels
Tel: 00.32.2.542.32.32
Internet: Test Aankoop/Test Achats website

Belgium

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Mediation Service Banks-Credit-Investment

Square de Meeûs 35/6
1000 Brussels
Jacques Zeegers
Ombudsman
Tel: 00.32.2.545.77.70
Fax: 00.32.2.545.77.79
Email: ombudsman@ombfin.be
Internet: Mediation Service Banks-Credit-Investment website

Test Aankoop/Test Achats

Hollandstraat 13
1060 Brussels
Tel: 00.32.2.542.32.32
Internet: Test Aankoop/Test Achats website

Czech Republic

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Financial Arbiter of the Czech Republic

Washingtonova 25, 110 00 Praha 1
Tel: +420 221 674 600
Fax: +420 221 674 666
Email: arbitr@finarbitr.cz
Internet: Financial Arbiter of the Czech Republic website

Association of Citizens Advice Centres

34 bureaux nationwide
information available at the Association of Citizens Advice Centres website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

CCB - Czech Credit Bureau

Na príkope 21, 117 19 Praha 1
Tel: +420 222 811 030
Fax: +420 222 811 031
Internet: CCB - Czech Credit Bureau website

Denmark

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Forbrugerraadet

Fiolstræde 17
Postbox 2188
1017 København K
Telefon 7741 7741
Telefax 7741 7742
Email: fbr@fbr.dk
Internet: Forbrugerraadet website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

RKI Kredit Information A/s

Glarmestervej 2
Postboks 259
DK-8600 Silkeborg
Denmark
Email: rki@rki.dk

France

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

Experian

Immeuble Le Triangle de l'Arche
8 cours du Triangle
92937 Paris
La Défense
Cedex Standard : + 33 (0)1 41 45 10 10
Fax standard : + 33 (0)1 41 45 10 20

If you would like further help in managing your budget and your finances you can visit the Les clés de la banque website

Germany

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Ombudsmann der deutschen genossenschaftlichen Bankengruppe (BVR)

Postfach 30 92 63 D-10760 Berlin
Germany
Tel: +49 30 2021-0
Fax: +49 30 2021-1900
Email: info@bvr.de
Internet: Ombudsmann der deutschen genossenschaftlichen Bankengruppe (BVR) website

Der Ombudsmann der privaten Banken

Postfach 04 03 07 D-10062 Berlin
Germany
Tel: +49 3016 630
Fax: +49 3016 6313 99
Internet: Der Ombudsmann der privaten Banken website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

Schufa

Wulf Bach, SCHUFA Holding AG - Germany
Tel: +49 6119278310
Internet: Schufa website

Infoscore

Internet: Infoscore website

If you would like help in managing your finances, contact:

Forum Schuldnerberatung e.V.

Am Dorf 13/1
69124 Heidelberg
Internet: Forum Schuldnerberatung e.V. website

Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.

Markgrafenstraße 66
10969 Berlin
Internet: Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. website

Bundesarbeitsbemeinschaft Schuldnerberatung e.V.

Wilhelmsstr. 11
34117 Kassel
Internet: Bundesarbeitsbemeinschaft Schuldnerberatung e.V. website

Greece

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Banking Ombudsman

12-14 Karageorgi Servias St
105 62 Athens
Internet: Banking Ombudsman website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

Tiresias

10 Masalias St & Solonos St
106 80 Athens
Tel: 210 3676700
1 Alamanas St.
151 25 Marousi

Italy

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

CRIF

Enrico Lodi,
Tel: +39 051 4176111
Internet: CRIF website

CTC - Consorzio Tutela del Credito

Nerio Saguatti,
Tel: +39 02 66710235

Experian Italy

Fabio Tortora ,
Tel: +39 06 724221
Internet: Experian Italy website

If you would like to learn more about financial products and services you can visit:

Lithuania

If you would like help in managing your finances, contact:

Lithuanian Citizens Advice Union

12 bureaus located throughout Lithuania
information available on the Lithuanian Citizens Advice Union website

The Netherlands

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

BKR - Netherlands

Joop Lobstein,
Tel: +31 344 616041

Experian Nederland

Rory Matthews
Netherlands
Tel: +31 70 440 4000

Norway

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

Creditinform

Sørkedalsveien 10C, N-0369 Oslo
P.O. Box 5275 Majorstua, N-0303 Oslo
Tel: +47 2293 2000
Fax: +47 2293 2080
Email: kundeservice@creditinform.no
Internet: Creditinform website

Poland

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Rada Krajowa Federacji Konsumentów

Plac Powstancow Warszawy 1
00-030 Warszawa
Tel: +48 22 827 11 73
Fax: +48 22 827 90 59
Internet: Rada Krajowa Federacji Konsumentów website

Union of Citizens Advice Bureaux

– approx. 30 bureaux located throughout Poland; information available on the Union of Citizens Advice Bureaux website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

Biuro Informacji Kredytowej, BIK

ul. Pruszkowska 17
pok. 101
02 - 119 Warsaw
Tel: +48 22 8229101
Internet: Biuro Informacji Kredytowej, BIK website

Związek Biur Porad Obywatelskich

ul. Śniadeckich 12/16 lok.17
00-656 Warszawa
Tel: +48 22 622 55 54
Tel/fax: +48 22 622 55 53

Portugal

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Tribunal - Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo

Rua Douradores 106/18 - 1100-207 Lisboa
Tel +351 218 807 030
Fax +351 218 807 038
Email: lis-arbitragem@ip.pt

If you would like further help in managing your budget and your finances you can contact:

Instituto do Consumidor

Pç. Duque de Saldanha, nª31, 3ª
1069-013 Lisboa Portugal
Tel: +351 21 356 4600
Fax: +351 21 356 4719

DECO

Rua Artilharia Um, nª 79 - 4ª
1269-160 Lisboa
Tel: + 351 213 710 200
Fax: +351 213 710 299
Email: decolx@deco.pt
Internet: DECO website

Slovakia

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Hypocentrum

Rybarska 15/a, 811 08 Bratislava
Tel: 00421 2 5720 6181
Fax: 00421 2 5720 6180
Email: hypocentrum@hypocentrum.sk
Internet: Hypocentrum website

Spain

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

National Consumption Institute

Consumer Rights guide.
Address: Príncipe de Vergara, 54. 28006 - Madrid (Spain)
Phones: +34 91 822 44 40 / +34 91 822 44 63
Email: inc@consumo-inc.es
Internet: National Consumption Institute website

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

ASNEF – National Association of Financing Entities (Asociación Nacional de Entidades de Financiación)

Asnef-Equifax Servicios de Información de Solvencia y Crédito, S.L.
C/ Cardenal Marcelo Espínola, 6. 28016 Madrid or
Aptdo de correos nº 10546 - 28080 Madrid
Internet: ASNEF website

Experian Bureau de Crédito S.A.

C/ Ombú 3, 1ª Planta. 28045 - Madrid
Mailbox: Apartado de Correos nº 1188 - 28008 Alcobendas (Madrid)
Tel: 34 91 530 03 70
Fax: 34 91 528 65 07
Email: experian@experian.es
Internet: Experien website

Cálculo y Tratamiento de Información S.A. (CTI)

Avda. de la Industria, 32
28108 Alcobendas (MADRID)
T 91 372 83 35
F 91 372 96 55
Internet: CTI website

Sweden

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Konsumentverket

Contact: Konsumentverket, SE-118 87 Stockholm,
Sweden,
Tel: +46 8 429 05 00
Fax: +46 8 429 89 00
Email: konsumentverket@konsumentverket.se

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

UpplysningsCentralen

Tel:+46 8 670 90 00
Internet: UpplysningsCentralen website

Switzerland

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

ZEK

Tel: 01 / 250 43 45
Fax: 01 / 250 43 49
Email: sekretariat@zek.info
Internet: ZEK website

Turkey

If you would like to find out more about your credit history, contact:

KKB Kredi Kayit Bürosu

Tel. +90 216 455 45 45

United Kingdom

If you would like an Ombudsman to intermediate on a query, you can contact:

Financial Ombudsman Service

South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London E14 9S
Tel: +44 020 7964 1000 (switchboard)
Fax: +44 020 7964 1001 (main fax)

If you would like further help in managing your budget and your finances you can contact:

Citizens Advice Bureau

For free, independent online money advice and to find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureau website

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing information and advice, and by influencing policymakers

Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

77 CABs located throughout Scotland;
information available on the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux website.

Consumer Credit Counselling Services

Freephone: 0800 138 1111
Consumer Credit Counselling Service
Wade House
Merrion Centre
Leeds
LS2 8NG

National Debt Line

Tel: 0808 808 4000
National Debtline
The Arch
48 - 52 Floodgate Street
Birmingham B5 5SL

If you are having difficulties making monthly repayments on your outstanding loans and credit cards, you should contact your lender immediately.