Consumer's Telegram September 2020
Insert of n. 70 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS
A Bargain Becomes a Costly Affair
“What a bargain!” thinks Mr Rossi after getting a cheap pair of sneakers on holiday. Some time later, he was badly surprised when his sneakers were confiscated by customs at the border control. “It is a forgery”, they say. The possession of counterfeit products is punishable by high fines in the European Union. In the end, he pays ten times the price for his initial bargain and would have saved a lot of money by buying the original.If the price is too good to be true, then it probably is a fake. You can find more information on our website at https://bit.ly/2FDCiIs.
CORONAVIRUS
Security Regulations for your Destination - Stay up to Date!
How do you find out which entry conditions and security regulations must be observed in the respective country of travel? The website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Viaggiaresicuri.it describes the current regulations on the coronavirus and other important travel information for each country. The data is constantly updated. Do you need more information about your rights as a traveller? Follow this link to get further information: https://bit.ly/3aDk2dv.TRACTOR FRAUD
Beware of “too Good” Offers
Agricultural vehicles such as tractors and mini excavators are increasingly being offered for sale online. However, there are frequent cases of fraud. The ads stick out due to their “buyer-friendly” terms and thus stand out from all the other offers. In addition to the “fast-to-good” price, a trial period is guaranteed, Chamber of Commerce excerpts are sent to underline the seriousness and often even a free delivery and right of return with full refund is promised.Two French consumers, who made deposits in the amount of 11,800 Euro and 14,900 Euro, never received the goods, though. For more information on how to detect online scammers, please visit our website at https://bit.ly/2Q2ul1k.
Case of the Month
Two German tourists cancelled their stay in a hotel in South Tyrol at the beginning of March due to the uncertain situation in Corona, for which a deposit of 400 euros was paid. According to Italian law, the hotel could have issued a voucher. The European Consumer Center Italy (ECC) was able to mediate between the two parties, also because the South Tyrolean hotel turned out to be particularly customer-friendly. In the end, the hotel reimbursed the two vacationers the full amount of 400 euros.
Although the coronavirus creates a difficult financial situation for many hotels, there are still a lot of them willing to find a satisfactory solution for the benefit of consumers.