- The Observer, Sunday February 25 2001
Company officials put a lot of the blame for the rise squarely at the door of the internet, which allows shoppers to buy at will without even having to leave the comfort of their armchairs.
'The internet has become a shopping mall in your living room. You can even apply for a credit card online, get all the details you need within about 10 minutes and use them to start shopping straight away,' said Chris De Souza, head of creditor strategy at the firm.
One young woman, Rachel, 19, recently came to the firm after running up debts of £30,000 in just a single year. She had applied for several credit cards after her 18th birthday, and then used the internet to help her go on a year-long spending binge.
Young women are particularly at risk because of the aggressive marketing of many firms on the net, which target health, beauty and fashion products at that age group.
Nicola, 29, from Nottingham, is a typical story. She ran up debts of several thousand pounds over the internet, initially buying groceries but quickly moving on to other items such as furniture.
Consumer groups warn that shoppers have to treat online buying exactly the same as browsing through a shop. 'People have to be educated that shopping online is the same as shopping in the real world,' said De Souza.
