When searching online, be mindful of the websites you use for ESTA or e-Visa applications. Many seemingly official sites are expensive intermediaries that merely forward applications to the authorities. Always submit applications directly on the official government websites to avoid unnecessary costs.
Online coaches promise expensive dating success, but often deliver only empty promises. Learn how you can free yourself from such coaching contracts and what you should look out for.
In a cross-border operation, Europol and Eurojust recently broke up a ring that enriched itself with fake investments in binary options.
Subscription traps are in high season on Valentine's Day. But all year round, consumers find themselves in subscriptions they didn't really want because subscription providers play tricks.
Since 2013, the US company Next Gen Inc. has been active with various dubious raffles on social media such as Facebook. Mostly elderly people fell for their alleged prize draws and lotteries. As of today, victims from Austria have the opportunity to recover part of the damages they suffered.
Alleged Microsoft employees call, send emails or pretend to be tech support in response to fake error messages in order to pull off various scams. Here is a summary and tips on how to behave.
Dubious coaching providers are still very active. Hardly any other rip-off industry knows how to use the potential of social media and target group advertising so skilfully to get money from the unsuspecting. We give those affected recommendations for action and warn urgently against cost traps amounting to several thousand euros!
In this article, we have compiled information on how to recognise a reputable online pharmacy, which products may be sold and purchased at all, and which other legal regulations must be observed.
It is no longer possible to imagine e-commerce without customer reviews, but they are not only an elementary part of online shopping. We show where trickery takes place and what to look out for.
Numerous complaints have been made to ECC-Net and also to other consumer protection organisations about German online suppliers of bathroom fittings and furniture. The number of problem cases has risen sharply since the end of 2020, better order elsewhere!
When timeshare flats or holiday homes booked online do not exist. Criminals are trying to extract money from the pockets of holidaymakers by using internet offers with stolen photos of real holiday flats.
Countless self-proclaimed coaches try to "scale" their business on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by selling highly dubious business models with their image of success. We do not find this trend "nice", to stay in the language of damaged young adults. Requests for help at the ECC continue to increase because of the coaching rip-off. An enormous wave of advertisements with get-rich-quick instructions is intended to chill young viewers in particular with the wealth on display and is flooding social media.
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the market for streaming services was in a solid growth process. The lockdown measures to contain COVID-19 have boosted demand even further, with leading streaming services even agreeing to reduce the video quality of streams at the request of the EU Commission to free up bandwidth for more important services. Even though the first rush of new customers to the streaming platforms has already slowed down somewhat, the increased demand in the area of video streaming has also led to an increased number of consumers who have fallen for fraudulent offers. Many consumers do not notice if they have signed up for a dubious streaming service. The rude awakening often comes a few days later when letters arrive from lawyers or debt collection agencies demanding several hundred euros for allegedly completed annual memberships. Due to the numerous requests for help from injured parties, the European Consumer Centre Austria (ECC) has now compiled information for consumers on the subject of video streaming.
Corona scams on the net and in email inboxes. Crises cause confusion and usually attract scammers. Here is an overview of the current Corona-related scams
Consumers often fall prey to psychological stimuli that cause them to act impulsively and rashly. Read here about scams on social media and the new CPC Regulation, which improves the warning system and enforcement of consumer offences in the EU.
Interim injunction against German website operator of Vignette-sofot.at: Anti-competitive behaviour and circumvention of the right of withdrawal in distance selling transactions
A dubious supplier of sexual enhancers (Horsepower) is luring customers into subscription traps. Unwanted deliveries are repeatedly sent to people who have agreed to a free trial or single delivery. Surprising bills and demands from debt collection agencies promptly follow.
30.09.2019 / Data theft with faked e-mails
04.09.2019 / Service by the Watchlist Internet
Dubious providers ended many a traveler´s dream of a vacation in a Spanish villa. After having paid for accommodation, the provider was suddenly no longer available.
05.06.2019 / Expensive consequences
Don't pay immediately! We have the most important information for you.
15.05.2019 / Dubious webshop
10.05.2019 / No delivery
08.04.2019 / Allegedly for free
26.02.2019 / Austrians among the victims
Brexit is not just concerning international politicians. Fraudsters are now increasingly using the UK's exit from the EU for their schemes on the internet.
14.01.2019 / Tips from VKI
28.11.2018 / No delivery
31.10.2018 / No delivery of brand glasses
15.10.2018 / Payment via Western Union
15.10.2018 / Dubious payment demand
29.05.2018 / Overpriced on wrong websites
Many consumers report dubious websites to us, that offer overpriced or invalid travel documents. The following artice explains how to find the actual authority and which websites to avoid.
23.03.2018 / Automatic contract extension
28.05.2018 / Dubious online shop
Streaming platforms that offer movies for a cheap price or even for free, are very attractive for consumers. Unfortunately, there are many providers who are dubious and threaten their customers with reminders and execution. The argument: The test phase of their subscription allegedly turned into a long-term, fee-based contract. This practice is unlawful. We explain what you can do in this situation.
14.05.2018 / Dubious webshop for cosmetics
US initiative for victims of Western Union frauds
Since 1. April 2018, a new regulation of the EU regarding "cross-border portability of online content services" is in force. It enables consumers to use their subscriptions for movies, music or sport streaming services abroad like at home.
12.03.2018 / Alleged copyright infringements
05.03.2018 / No delivery after payment
By clicking on „accept“, you explicitly consent to transfer data to the USA. Caution: The US does not ensure an comparable adequate level of protection like the EU. Due to surveillance laws such as FISA 702, Youtube (Google Inc) is obliged to hand over your personal data to US authorities. There is no adequacy decision of the European Commission for the transfer of data to the USA. Furthermore, Youtube (Google Inc) cannot offer appropriate safeguards for compliance with an adequate level of protection comparable to that of the EU. Hence, in the US you do not have enforceable data subject rights and effective legal remedies that are equivalent to the level of protection guaranteed within the EU.
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