industry purchase and repair of vehicles it was Most condemned by consumers in 2022, according to data from the Facua consumer association. According to this association, cars Purpose of 23% of lawsuits filed in the last yearThose for energy companies and banks, which ranked first in 2021, followed. According to the ‘What Consumers Condemn’ report, presented this Tuesday, the main reason cars are in prime position is because of Facua’s campaign between 2006 and 2013 to help claim the thousands of euros that were overcharged when purchasing their cars. The result of more than twenty manufacturer cartels approved by the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC).
In the second place is energy, which rises to the fourth place in 2021 and the second in 2022, out of the top 5 in 2020, with 15.2%. The rise in prices over the past year has strained companies’ calculations, causing mismatches between estimated wages and actual consumption, the consequences of which have not yet been changed. Caused by electricity and gas companies numerous complaints about the presence of irregularities in receipts, illegal rate increases and invoices not being delivered for months, etc. In some cases, private customers are billed for one month’s consumption of €2,000, while the actual amount is less or less than €100.
Third place, banking13.3% of the lawsuits filed last year were primarily due to non-refundation of illegally collected mortgage formalization expenses, followed by exorbitant interest on loans mainly through ‘revolving’ cards and irregular collection of commissions.
Facua warns that in 2022, complaints are on the rise as consumers face difficulties in returning fraudulent charges on banks’ cards and checking accounts, particularly due to data theft by third parties.
The fourth position was carried out by telecommunicationwith 10.7% of claims, in addition to breaching offers and deceiving consumers, fraudulent rate increases, charging for unwanted services, and abuses committed when users try to unsubscribe (from continuing to receive receipts from you to imposing illegal penalties).
Transportation ranks fifth with 7.1% of complaints and most of the claims were against airlines for failing to pay passengers the compensation set by European legislation in case of cancellations and long delays.
Rubén Sánchez, secretary general of Facua, criticized “the inaction of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and regional consumer protection authorities in the face of massive fraud”. “The absence of fines, or the ridiculous amount of a few fines imposed, isn’t exactly an incentive for big companies to stop committing irregularities with consumers.”
According to the annual balance sheet, In 2022, Facua received 53,448 inquiries and requests, and legal teams filed 11,522 claims.on behalf of the partners. Facua has 47,591 full members and 202,426 adherents, who contribute a quota to support the organization each year, and has organizations and regional delegations in seventeen autonomous communities.
Source: Informacion
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