The email claims to be from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and using this purported authority to trick drivers into providing their bank details for a 'refund'. The warning comes amid increasing confusion surrounding the new car tax rules, which have already seen tax discs ditched and will soon mark the end of the paper counterpart of driving licences.

There are signs of a thaw in the market this spring. Some of the toughest affordability requirements are being relaxed and mortgage rates are falling - so applicants who play their cards right now could be on the first rung of the housing ladder by the summer. Here are the four key steps to mortgage success. Carli Burke took advice to rebuild her credit record

Experts warn that before visiting your local gardening centre to pick up the latest mower you should consider other solutions. Brian Radam, author of the authoritative Haynes Lawnmower Manual, says: 'A lawnmower has a cylinder with blades and a roller attached that allows for a cleanly cut, formal finish.'

Supermarkets and retailers dominate when it comes to rewarding customer loyalty. But banks and insurance companies are now waking up to the challenge. Here, Sally Hamilton uncovers the financial companies trying hardest to keep you - and how you can cash in on recommending the best of them to friends. Paula Uria enjoys a hot drink at her insurer's expense

Sir Matthew Pinsent is a four-times Olympic gold medallist in rowing and is currently a BBC sports presenter. Here, in our occasional series on stars and their money, he explains how he went from learning to divide the 20p a week he received as pocket money between comics and sweets, to being paid five-figure sums for a day filming TV commercials.

A company of great promise, it has so far failed to deliver on high hopes, there is no profit and the stock has slumped. But while the shares have plunged close to all-time lows, those hopes are still alive, so the shares could be a buy for those prepared to take a significant risk in the hope of good returns. The story of WANdisco, which is based in Sheffield and California's Silicon Valley, goes back to the turn of the millennium.

Ombudsman Services, the organisation behind ombudsmen overseeing the energy and communications sectors, says it already has several large retailers poised to sign up. It has been in talks with the British Retail Consortium - the trade body for the industry - and has also been discussing the details of its plan with several large retailers including Home Retail Group, which owns Argos, Homebase and Habitat.

Fund managers and brokers continue to put the case for keeping your money invested in the nation's grocers - and stress that in the long haul it may pay off. Richard Buxton, who runs Old Mutual's UK Alpha fund, has bought just one stock this year: Tesco. He originally sold the shares in 2010 at £4.25 and recently bought them back at £1.75. He says: 'It's going to be a long haul but the new chief executive Dave Lewis is doing all the right things.'

Its study of 6,500 funds available in the UK found that if they are split in half between high and low cost, the cheaper ones outperformed in 10 out of 12 investment categories in the past decade. Some but not all of the cheaper funds in Vanguard's analysis were 'passive' trackers - which simply duplicate an investment index, rather than try to outperform it. But the company says it findings align with separate research it has done showing high costs are the reason why most 'active' funds - the more expensive kind run by managers trying to beat a market - have lagged their benchmarks over five, 10 and 15 years.

It's a paraphrase of Wesley's sermon on the good life, and Marshall appears to be sticking to it. His earnings are clearly a lot, but he has also just endowed a new faculty at the London School of Economics - The Marshall Institute - with a cheque for £30million.The Institute - which will conduct research into the field of philanthropy - is the brainchild of Marshall and Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, a former investment banker turned philanthropist and charity executive.

The Anglo-Dutch oil giant, which has tabled a £46billion cash-and-shares deal to buy British gas explorer BG Group, is poised to report profits falling to £1.6billion from £4.8billion for the same period last year. The falling oil price has contributed to a rise in the number of firms issuing profit warnings, according to accountancy giant EY.

Rega Research of Southend-on-Sea features on a list of 141 firms due to receive the award at Buckingham Palace in July. At the same time it emerged that HMV's physical music sales - vinyl and CDs - rose 12 per cent to £9.8million in the three months to mid-March. This helped the store regain its title as Britain's top music retailer from Amazon, and comes just two years after HMV was brought out of administration.

Coconut water brand Jax Coco, drunk by celebrities such as Cara Delevingne, Stella McCartney, Sienna Miller and David Walliams, has secured a deal with Ocado, marking its first UK-wide listing. The company was founded by former hedge fund trader and mother-of-five Jane Gottschalk and her husband Max, with Hong Kong entrepreneur Alex Ing and his son Jason.

The Big60Milllion mini-bond, is hoping to raise £20.4million to refinance three fully operational solar farms. It could also help investors offset their electricity bill, but it is important to understand the risks. Open until 27 May, the minimum investment is £60 for a unit.

The policy means thousands of cautious drivers end up paying for the mistakes of other more careless drivers through hiked car insurance premiums. Drivers complain of being penalised for their honesty - after all if they don't tell their insurer they might never find out and their premiums remain unaffected.

Of all properties in Cornwall, 6.2 per cent - some 10,169 - are used solely as holiday homes, research from Direct Line shows. Also in the top three are Gwynedd, in Wales, and North Norfolk. Supporters see the increase in second homeowners as bringing money and business into areas, while critics say second home-ownership has driven up house prices.

From banks to credit card firms, fund managers and shops, there are a lot of smart people whose job it is to try and take your cash off you. Learning more about money is a good way to keep hold of it and make more of it. Here are some simple but important things I'd teach people about money. What would you suggest?

The 'flash trading' scandal is a result of the 'culture of greed' on Wall Street, says the author who uncovered the story. And Michael Lewis says there will be more scandals unless there is 'fundamental change' in the way bankers are rewarded. Lewis is no academic economist. He was a successful trader on Wall Street and in the City before he wrote 'Liar's Poker' in 1989 - the classic insider's account of the 80s boom.

Record numbers of buyers are turning to property auctions where as long as you can finance a winning bid you can lock in a property purchase within minutes. But you need to brave and sometimes willing to enter a bidding war to secure your dream property, so is it worth buying a home under the hammer?

If Tesco is not careful, it could become the next Woolworths. Beloved Woolies was also once a British staple, which seemed like would never disappear. Tesco is trying to be a one-stop shop for everything. Electricals, clothing, mobile phones, banking - the majority just want to go in for their weekly food shop. It could be its downfall.

There are many good reasons for saving. A rainy day fund can give you protection against unexpected bills or losing your job. Tapping into your savings is also the key to many of life's major events, such as buying a car, getting married or buying a home. The good news is that once you decide to get that saving habit there are ways to make it work even better.

The Aberdeenshire based company, which takes pride in its anti-establishment image, wants to raise the cash by offering 526,316 shares to the public through its 'Equity for Punks' scheme. The minimum investment in this latest round is £95 for two shares. BrewDog's management has made no secret of its contempt for banks and financial institutions and today it reiterated its stance. Chief executive, James Watt, said 'We are not Rockefeller. We are Guy Fawkes. We are burning the established system.'

With interest in vinyl records on the rise, the long-standing market for collectible records is being given a new lease of life. The renewed interest will prompt many to question whether the records clogging up attics, boot fairs or lounge are worth anything. Is there a rare gem lurking in your collection - and what are the most valuable vinyl records?

To clear the average national household debt of £13,000 at 6% interest with a monthly repayment of £100 will take around 17 years. There are, however, plenty of simple ways to make significant savings on your regular spending that could clear your debt - or boost your savings - in less than a year. This is Money's top 50 - updated - money-saving tips may appear light-hearted but are deadly serious.

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.

The UK economy failed to post expected deflation as CPI instead stayed flat for the second month in a row, according to new official figures. That left the outlook for rates firmly unchanged, with a first move still expected upwards in spring 2016.

For many buy-to-let looks an attractive income investment in a time of low rates and stock market volatility. Climbing house prices, rising rents and improving mortgage deals are tempting investors - although they will need a big deposit. Read This is Money's top ten buy-to-let tips

The influence of financial services on the economy is spelled out again as City brokers steal top spot in this year's official list of highest earners. According to the detailed 2014 annual salaries survey, brokers pocketed around 40 times more this year than those at the bottom of the list - the people responsible for keeping children safe on the way to school. Lollipop crossing patrols earned around £3,400.