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Between 9.15am and 10am on Monday to Friday this week, BBC One is screening a hard-hitting documentary called Britain's Streets of Debt. In this morning's episode, entitled "The Whistle Blower", a top executive from one of Britain's high-street lenders revealed how banks use sophisticated marketing techniques to target and encourage their customers to borrow more and more. She explained how challenging sales targets for all staff force bank workers to use hard-sell tactics to increase borrowing levels -- whatever the cost to their customers. The programme also looked at the frightening phenomenon of "death by debt", where people are driven to suicide by worries about overwhelming debts. If you're struggling desperately with debt, read this profound and moving message from a doctor who has had to deal with the consequences of people taking their own lives. Later this week, the programme goes on to cover the following subjects: Tuesday: Borrowers Beware This episode looks at the steep rise in repossessions (up from 6,030 homes in 2004 to 10,250 in 2005) and shows how a woman who borrowed £2,500 against her home now owes over £100,000 and is set to lose the roof over her head. You can read more about this growing problem in How You Could Lose Your Home. Wednesday: Easy Prey This programme looks at the fastest-growing group of people seeking debt-counselling advice: women over sixty. Thanks to hefty debt repayments, millions of pensioners are struggling to make ends meet, with many owing more than their annual income on credit cards and loans. One pensioner with no assets used credit to supplement her small pension and now owes money on six credit cards, three store cards and two personal loans. Turn the corner today by visiting the Fool's Get Out of Debt centre. Thursday: Losing it Online This instalment looks at the massive boom in online gambling: more than a million people now regularly bet online. Indeed, many middle-class women are falling under gambling's spell and racking up huge debts. Overall, British punters spent £53 billion last year on online and offline gambling. I'm a former gambling addict: you can read about my struggle to clear my debts in My Dumbest Money Mistakes - Ever! Friday: Going for Broke The final chapter looks at how bankruptcy and insolvency is soaring, and how door-step lenders, pawnbrokers and loan sharks prey on the poor and financially vulnerable. One person owes £9,000, yet is unable to go bankrupt because she cannot raise the £310 court fee. Read more in Britain's Bankruptcy Boom! Finally, according to the Bank of England, personal debt (including mortgages) stood at £1,191 billion at the end of April, and it's rising by over £100 billion a year, or £276 million per day. So, don't wait for "easy credit" to become "tough debt", fight back today with the following links: More: Use 0% credit cards to avoid interest | Find great loans, mortgages and savings accounts!
