I recently booked a hotel and flights online with Expedia and paid by credit card. A change of plan meant that it was necessary to cancel the entire booking and so I telephoned their contact centre, which at that time of day happened to be routed to India.

The following week I was confused to discover that my credit card was no longer being authorised for transactions. I contacted the card issuer and was told that they had suspended my card after receiving a suspicious telephone call from someone purporting to be me notifying them of a change of address. The fraudster had given my full name, home address and date of birth, but fortunately failed to answer their other security questions.

I very rarely provide any personal details to retailers and I recall being particularly hesitant when the Expedia form requested my date of birth. I assumed that due to airline security requirements the request was valid on this occasion and so proceeded with the booking.

Now I can’t prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the theft of my personal information and subsequent attempt to divert my credit card was attributable to Expedia call centre staff, but it seems far too much of a coincidence. I am pleased to say that the card issuer was efficient in cancelling my account and issuing a new card, but they did not seem interested in tracing the culprits.

I will not be giving Expedia my custom again and I am not the only one:

• Expedia Dot SCAM?
• Victims of Expedia

“OUTRAGE OVER DISABLED PARKING FEE”

That was the headline of a recent BBC News article. It concerns a decision by a Derby hospital to charge disabled patients for parking. I ask, why haven’t they been doing so already? I am outraged too!

Disabled people have the benefit of convenient reserved parking spaces but still don’t want to pay for them. Well hard luck! I commend this hospital for doing away with the unjust favour for the disabled community. Being disabled gives you the ‘right’ to the cleanest toilets and closest parking spaces, but you want it all to be free as well? What makes you so privileged? Perhaps you should be tax exempt and have butlers paid for by the goverment too?

The Disability Rights Commission says: “This is a monstrous tax on the sick as it’s more than likely that disabled blue badge holders will have to attend hospital more often.”

So the DRC admits that the disabled are already a disproportionate burden to the National Health Service, but believe that the free ride should extend to incidental living expenses now too!

By all means strive for equality, but don’t lose sight of what that actually means and damage your cause in the process. Don’t confuse a disability with just being a tightwad. You want equality? Well be careful what you wish for as you might just get it!