UOKiK fined GetBack for "coercion and pressure"



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The procedures of the Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK) have shown that the debt collection companies of Wroclaw, GetBack and Vex have resorted to improper debt collection practices, said the Office. Companies will incur financial penalties.

The company's doubts have led to ten practices related to debt collection. GetBack applied stress and pressure […].

The Office also explains that GetBack did not keep all the formalities correspondence with debtors.

In the letters that GetBack sent to debtors, there was a lack of required data on, for example, what debt, which contractor, and on which repayment date. Therefore, the consumer may not know if he is actually debtor and, if so, how much does the creditor owe money?

– we read in the message.

The company also ordered the bailiff to send the debtors for payment, even though no enforcement proceedings were pending. The summons bore the emblem of the State. Their content, their form and delivery by the bailiff could give the misleading impression that such a letter was sent by a bailiff during the course of execution. The consumer, fearing to take his property by the bailiff, could pay the debt, but also give.

The board questioned the fact that GetBack had repeatedly sued the court against the same consumer. It involved the fact that the court had terminated the proceedings and that the collection agent had again directed the trial in the same case and continued the recovery activities. GetBack could rely on the consumer's mistake, which had repeatedly raised objections to the court, because if it did not do so in time, a legally binding decision would be made and the consumer would have to pay the required amount. In addition, the debt collector added court costs to the debt even if the case had not been reviewed by the court or if the consumer had appealed or waived the 39, order to pay. As a result, the consumer has been misled as to the amount of the debt.

The president of UOKiK said that the company had violated the rights of consumers. The penalty incurred by the debt collector amounted to more than PLN 5 059 045 (PLN 5 million). The decision is not final. If the sentence becomes final, the President of UOKiK may postpone the payment or split it into several installments due to the significant interest of the entrepreneur, it was pointed out.

We are also conducting other proceedings in the GetBack case. We are studying how to offer and sell the corporate bonds of this company.

– said the president of UOKiK, Marek Niechcia³, cited in the article.

The procedure concerns GetBack, Idea Bank, Polskie Dom Maklerski, Mercurius Financial Avisors and Noble Securities.

The lawsuits against the Wroclaw Vex debt collection company were initiated in November 2016. The Competition and Consumer Protection Bureau received numerous complaints from people who felt intimidated by the activities of this company. […] Vex, to force consumers to pay the debt, puts pressure on them, which is an aggressive and unacceptable market practice

– we read further.

In addition, Vex, in contacting the debtors, does not give them complete information on the amount of debt, nor does it clearly identify the contractor responsible for the repayment. The consumer does not know if, how high and to whom he is indebted, he is also given.

The president of UOKiK ordered Vex to stop using illegal debt collection activities. He also imposed more than 20,000 penalties (20,122 zlotys). The decision is not final.

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