Consumer champion Alice Beer joins us once again for her weekly round-up of sickening scams, savvy savings and ultra updates.

Today she'll be discussing how to protect yourself against the latest sophisticated phishing emails and offering top tips on securing only the very best insurance for your beloved pet. Not to mention some excellent news for those out there with HMV vouchers...

Tax and Post Office scams

  • HM Revenue and Customs NEVER send notifications of a tax rebate by email
  • They will never ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email
  • The general rule on how consumers can protect themselves from phishers is to ever select links in emails
  • If in doubt, close your browser, reopen it, and type the web address for the site you want to visit directly into the address bar

Advice for pet owners seeking insurance

  • Lifetime cover - obviously the most costly but it covers your pet for its entire lifetime for any illness or injury up to a maximum amount each year.
  • Maximum benefit policies - does what it says on the tin and covers your pet for any illness up to the maximum predetermined amount.
  • Twelve-month policies - these at first seem like really good value and are certainly the cheapest - but again they do what they say and if your pet's illness or injury lasts for more than 12 months you are not covered.
  • Shop around! If you want the best deals it's the only thing to do.
  • Look out for discounts - chipping or tagging your pet can save 5% in some cases.

HMV update

  • A quick update for all viewers who were left high and dry last week when HMV went into administration and it was announced they would not be honouring gift vouchers (which they had been selling up until the day before!)
  • The administrators announced on Monday that they will now be honouring them - so do not delay and get down there to spend them.