Facua-Consumers in action made public his ranking complaints during the first semester, a ranking that collect complaints that the organization received from its associates – more than 245,000 – between January and June 2022.
During this period, the entity opened 6,671 claim files on behalf of its partners, i.e. 20.4% more than in the first half of 2021, when they reached the figure of 5,543.
The the purchase and repair of vehicles accounts for 33.6% of complaints of consumers to Facua, thus moving the banking sector from first place, traditionally the leader in complaints from users of its services, which has been relegated to third place (12.8%) behind complaints related to the electricity and gas bills and services (13.4%). The fourth place goes to the telecommunications sector (10.7%), which in the previous ranking occupied the second position.
The leadership in vehicle buying and repair is due to the campaign the organization launched to help consumers claim the overcharged money when buying their cars between 2006 and 2013 due to pricing agreements between more than twenty manufacturers sanctioned by the National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC). Fraud victim drivers who wish to join the platform can do so at the web address facua.org/carteldecoches.
Illegal increases in electricity and gas tariffs
With regard to energy consumption, Facua explains that the gas companies and, above all, the electricity companies, have generated a multitude of complaints “because of the existence of reception irregularitiesthe invention that consumers manipulate their meters in an attempt to make them pay fines of several hundred or thousands of euros and price increases contrary to the law”.
As for the banking sector, the main grounds for complaint remain the refusal of return Mortgage origination fees charged illegallycharging high interest rates on loans – primarily through cards turning– and the irregular collection of commissions, in that order. “Over the past year, there have been growing complaints about the difficulties consumers are having in getting banks to charging fraudulent charges to your cards and checking accounts, mainly as a result of data theft by third parties,” the organization said.
Finally, in the telecommunications sector, complaints were opened mainly “due to non-compliance with offers and tricks for consumers to register were the main reasons, as well as the fraudulent rate hikesbilling for unsolicited services and abuses committed by telecoms when users attempt to unsubscribe, ranging from continued billing to unlawful application of penalties.