Consumer's Telegram December 2023

Insert of n. 93 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre Italy - Bolzano office)

E-COMMERCE

ECC Tips for Online Shoppers

On the occasion of Black Friday, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) has prepared a series of tips for online shopping that are valid not only during the period of deep discounts. Many are aware that products purchased in the EU are still covered by the two-year legal guarantee of conformity even if purchased at a discount. Many consumers are also familiar with the 14-day right of withdrawal that applies to distance purchases, but have you ever heard of chargebacks, dropshipping and dark patterns? The European Consumer Centre (ECC) explains what this is all about and what to watch out for.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND PERSONAL DATA

Meta Introduces Paid Subscription

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB), in a decision published on 1st November, banned Meta from using users' personal data collected on Facebook and Instagram to deliver targeted advertising on these platforms. As a result of this, Meta introduced a subscription plan for users in the EU to continue using these social media with a monthly fee of (for now) EUR 12.99. Many users opening the relevant app were already confronted with a screen offering them the choice between a paid ad-free subscription and continuing to use the service free of charge. Surprisingly, the choice in evidence was to continue using the app and personal data as before: a sign that Meta probably considers the data collected for advertising purposes more valuable than collecting the subscription price. The legitimacy of this conduct is currently being examined by the European data protection authorities, but it is in any case important that consumers are well aware that their personal data are valuable and are a real price paid for using social networks.

WATCH OUT FOR SCAMS!

Beware of Fake Airline Profiles on X

So far, the ECC has not received any reports from consumers, but several airlines are warning about fake accounts on X (formerly Twitter) pretending to be the official customer service of the respective airline with the intention of solving passengers' difficulties. If a passenger tags an airline in a post and asks for help with a problem related to a booked flight, it is possible that they will receive a reply from a bot connected to a fake profile asking for more information via a direct message. Those who send their booking code and other data to the supposed airline give the scammers the opportunity to rebook the flight for another passenger and another route, without the victim noticing. In conclusion: to make sure you are in contact with the real airline, the best choice is to use the contact options on its official website. For more information on phishing and online fraud.

CASE OF THE MONTH
In December 2022, a German consumer ordered a pair of leather boots from an Italian online shop. However, in August 2023, she noticed that the leather of the right boot had deep creases and she reported the defect in writing by contacting the selling company. However, the seller informed her that they would only accept the complaint if an expert's report was submitted, as more than six months had passed since the purchase. In fact the company did not take into account that as of 1st January 2022, the provision on the reversal of the burden of proof was changed by extending the time limit to one year: this means that if the defect occurs within the first year, it is presumed that the goods were already defective at the time of delivery, unless the seller can prove otherwise. Unable to resolve the complaint, the consumer turned, through ECC Germany, to ECC Italy, which contacted the company: with reference to the intervening change in legislation, she obtained a refund of the purchase price.