Consumer's Telegram September 2016

Insert of n. 62 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre, Bolzano - Italy)

MULTILEVEL-MARKETING AND PYRAMIDE SCHEMES

Cryptocurrencies: Trapping dangers and risks
Curiosity for cryptocurrencies rises dramatically and implies a strong appeal for those who want to multiply their fortunes. Within the market of cryptocurrencies are circulating offers that turned out to be illegal pyramid schemes. Many consumers contact the European Consumer Centre Italy – office Bolzano/Bozen (ECC) regarding cryptocurrencies: Since the requests are of different nature and cryptocurrencies often cause confusion, the ECC tries to clarify the most important points. You will find information about this issue on our homepage.

CAR RENTAL

Dexcar: From car dream to car crac!
The website www.descar.ch was seized by the financial police and the persons responsible were notified at large, it says in a press release sent by the financial police (Guardia di Finanza) of Bielle in the Italian Piedmont region, dated June 10, 2016. One tries to stop the spread of a multilevel-marketing-system with these preventive measures: More than 23,000 persons are already affected by it. During the last months every day consumers contacted the European Consumer Centre (ECC) because of Dexcar. Dexcar tried to convince people to transfer money to their company and conducted a campaign of persuasion with well sounding words and effective slogans through an extensive network of promoters. This practice led to the fact that more than 23,000 persons registered in the scheme Dexcar, transferred the quotas and hired new people. The finance police of Biella collected these details. For more information please consult the European Consumer Centre on the homepage.

E-COMMERCE

Onlineshopping: Dangers of buying counterfeit goods
„Fashion victim“ or only victim? Many consumers searching a bargain or a product difficult to find prefer online channels for their purchases. Even to an experienced online-consumer it can happen that he or she receives a fake bag, watch or tablet and risks a penalty for buying goods of suspected origin. What has to be done in these cases? The European Consumer Centre provides useful information.


Case of the month
An Italian consumer booked through an Austrian travel agency a package tour in the Caribbean for herself and her husband. After their arrival in the resort the consumer was refused to enter the hotel they had booked and they were accommodated in another hotel instead. The explanation given was that the consumer – even though Italian citizen – started their journey from a German airport. The consumer complained to the Austrian travel agency and they offered a compensation in the amount of 200 Euro. However, the consumer did not accept this offer and contacted therefore the European Consumer Centre Italy – office Bolzano/Bozen, that called the ECC Austria to intervene against the Austrian agent. The intervention of the ECC-Austria colleagues was successful because after having re-examined the situation, the travel agent offered to the consumer a compensation in the amount of 500 euros. The travel agency admitted on this occasion, that the booked hotel had probably been overbooked.