Consumer's Telegram May 2020

Insert of n. 38 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)


TRAVEL AND COVID-19

FAQs of the European Consumer Centre (ECC)

Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, around 2,000 consumers have contacted the European Consumer Centre Italy to ask about their travel bookings during corona virus times. It has turned out that each situation must be assessed on its own merits according to the specific circumstances of the individual case, partly because the measures taken at national and international level are not uniform and can constantly change. Nevertheless, there were many recurring questions, which were answered as FAQs on the website of the ECC. If you would like to contact the ECC with a question, you should first read the website to see if you can already find the answer there. The FAQ are constantly updated and adapted to the changing legal situation.


ONLINE TRADING

Pay attention to your savings

Due to the economic crisis caused by Covid-19 pandemic and the great uncertainty in the markets, more and more consumers are trying to store their savings by investing in online trading. However, caution is needed when it comes to financial products and investments, as you risk losing all your savings with just a few clicks. The companies that advertise these products or investments may not have the authorisation to manage savings that must be granted by the Italian Securities and Markets Authority (CONSOB). Do not be fooled by the professional appearance of the website or the assertion that they they are in possession of the legally prescribed permits.
ECC Italy explains how to identify fraudulent online trading platforms: https://bit.ly/2xMnO5p.


BEWARE THE TRAP!

Streaming traps are experiencing a boom during Corona times

Especially now, when most people spend most of their time in their own four walls and many want to spend their free time watching films, consumers are increasingly falling into streaming traps. Consumers are unexpectedly confronted with a payment request of almost 400 euros and do not know how to react. Don't pay! You can contact the ECC if you have questions or doubts about streaming traps (info@euroconsumatori.org).


CASE OF THE MONTH
At the end of 2019, a Slovenian consumer ordered a pair of sneakers on an Italian website at the price of 580 euros. Only after the consumer had already removed the label, he realised that the seller had sent him a wrong model and sent the sneakers back. However, the online retailer refused to accept the consumer's return on the grounds that the shoes "are no longer in their original condition", as the Sovenian buyer had removed the label.
Now the consumer turned to the European Consumer Centre (ECC) Slovenia, which forwarded the complaint to ECC Italy. Our ECC contacted the seller and pointed out to him that the consumer did not want to withdraw from the contract, but only wanted to assert his guarantee claim, because a wrong shoe model had been sent to him. In case a consumer claims the legal guarantee, the goods do not have to be returned in their original condition. Shortly thereafter, the ECC Italy received positive feedback from the trader, who accepted the return and rembursed the consumer the amount of 580 euros.