Stampa

PS6549 - Debt collection: Competition Authority undertakes action against aggressive practises. Suspended the activity of the companies GE.RI and ELLIOT aiming at credit recovery through incorrect procedures.


PRESS RELEASE


PRESS RELEASE



DEBT COLLECTION: COMPETITION AUTHORITY UNDERTAKES ACTION AGAINST AGGRESSIVE PRACTISES. SUSPENDED THE ACTIVITY OF THE COMPANIES GE.RI AND ELLIOT AIMING AT CREDIT RECOVERY THROUGH INCORRECT PROCEDURES.

New intervention of Competition to protect consumers targeted by payment reminders, carried out under aggressive and unfair conditions regarding alleged, unfounded or prescribed claims. The Competition Authority, at its meeting of 19 March 2014, has in fact ordered the suspension of GE.RI. Gestione Rischi S.r.l. and ELLIOT S.r.l. as regards every task aiming at credit recovery through incorrect procedures.

The measure was taken to prevent immediately, pending the conclusion of the investigation, the negative effects for citizens.

According to numerous reports coming to the Authority from citizens, the Competition Group of the Market Protection Unit of the Guardia di Finanza and the Consumers' Association, the GE.RI., particularly in the early months of 2014, had reportedly reminded by mail, by e-mail, phone calls and text messages, the payment - on behalf of different clients - of alleged claims, which were not detailed or prescribed or were unfounded, even threatening legal action. Some communications even announced an official visit at home or in the workplace to "retry the amicable settlement of the debt".

Some consumers have also been advised to contact a number against payment, "for any communications" or the "administrative checks", with a relatively high cost of the call. The company, however, announced that it had currently disabled the respective number.

Based on the evidence obtained in the first stage of the proceedings the recovery of certain claims would have been commissioned by ELLIOT S.r.l., a company which bought, very cheaply compared to the nominal amount, ownership, by March 2013, of the claims of other professionals. The measure is part of an area of ​​particular relevance, in relation to which the Authority has already taken several measures, imposing penalties for over 600,000 euros, particularly against debt collection companies responsible for aggressive practises for forwarding of fake subpoenas.


Rome, 2 April 2014