Are IPs targeting women ?

Is it a gender thing ? According to The Daily Telegraph it seems that two thirds of the people who opt for bankruptcy are men whereas women are more inclined to opt for IVAs.

The article doesn't give any precise figures but it does seem to highlight a trend that has been flagged up by a reputable debt advice charity. Seems a pity that the article didn't go that bit further and follow the logic of its own report.

The article refers to the fact that the Office of Fair Trading recently criticised seventeen firms for issuing misleading advertising which did not spell out the full implications of IVAs but it does not make the obvious connection with the TV advertising screened by IVA providers.

Most of the TV advertising for IVAs is screened during the day so we need to ask: Who is more likely to be watching daytime TV ? Are the IPs deliberately and succesfully targeting single women with a debt solution that may not appropriate for their needs ?

DebtFreeCoach recently recounted a familiar story of how an IVA went wrong for one woman and it is a cautionary tale. But one thing is certain - When it does go wrong it will happen regardless of gender.