Antitrust sting on Telecom Italia: 400 thousand euro fine. For a year, the phone company provided its customers with unwanted handsets. The transactions took place in some franchised sales outlets in Campania or by telephone and involved the sale of "high quality products - as stated in the Authority's latest bulletin - such as landlines, cordless phones, computers, videophones and notebooks".
In some cases the goods were sent to customers without any notice or request for consent. Other times it was offered in conjunction with landline services and presented as free. But at the first bill, here's the surprise: the invoices also contained requests for payment of "precious products". Several people then tried to return the hearing aids, but it seems it wasn't that simple. Meanwhile, Telecom sent payment reminders in which it threatened to resort to legal action. Often these were rather high figures, which also included shipping costs.
More than 15 complaints were presented: "Telecom was therefore aware of the phenomenon and its numerical significance", underlines the Antitrust. The company has tried to stem the bleeding, but the initiatives taken have been judged "unsuitable" by the Authority. It was late now. Not only has the rain of complaints continued, but it has even increased in intensity.
