Consumer's Telegram May 2022

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

FLEEING THE WAR
Sanctioned for not having declared her savings
A Ukrainian refugee received a fine for more than 3,000 euro, because she did not declare her savings of about 35,000 euro when she entered Italy. After continuing her journey towards Switzerland, she was checked by the Italian customs police and fined. As European Consumer Centre Italy, we reported the case to the Ministry of Economy and to the Customs Agency, even if the fine is in line with Italian and European law, but it should be verified if intervention is possible because of the extraordinary situation. Here you can find further information on the case.

RIGHTS OF AIR PASSENGERS

The European Court of Justice strengthens them

With the ruling in case C-561/20, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has confirmed that EU air passenger rights can be claimed also against a non-European airline for a flight outside the EU provided that the journey started from an airport within the EU. Therefore, in the event of a delay of more than three hours for a flight departing and arriving outside the EU but booked as part of a multi-leg journey departing from an EU airport, the rights provided for in Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 apply even if the carrier operating the flight has a third-country licence. Passengers may hence also be entitled to compensation in such a case. Read more here.

WELCOME UKRAINIANS

A dedicated section on our website

Many Ukrainian refugees have arrived or are arriving in Italy due to the dramatic situation in their country. As we have also reported on our online channels, there is a lot of information and obligations to bear in mind when entering the territory (such as declaring cash in possession over the €10,000 limit). Useful tips for Ukrainian refugees have therefore been published on our website.

CASE OF THE MONTH
An email arrives: the postal police accuses a person of paedophilia. There is a document attached, which grossly imitates a court document. The person in question, although innocent, realises that their life could easily be ruined, because the label of paedophile, even if false, is not easily removed. It is an old scam that is repeated time and again. The scammer disguising themselves as police authority asks for the personal data of the victim and a payment of 10,000 euros, stating that the amount will be refunded after a period of surveillance. The solution in such a case is simply to ignore and delete the e-mail received, without following up on the requests received, and to absolutely avoid transmitting personal data and making payments. You will never be officially charged with an offence by e-mail in this form and the document received is 100% false.