Merchants complained about the inaction of security forces in the face of “consumer extremism”

According to Kalimullin, up to 80% of returns of allegedly defective phones in Russia occur in the Samara region. At the same time, 10 times fewer claims are filed in Moscow and the Moscow region. The damage to retailers resulting from these risks already exceeds one billion rubles, the senior manager highlighted. He also highlighted the inaction of the security forces in the Samara region.

“Based on the facts we discovered, we contacted law enforcement authorities, who, unfortunately, until recently refused to initiate criminal cases, believing that these were ordinary consumer disputes with retail companies,” Kalimullin emphasized. According to them, the group periodically contacts the territorial Ministry of Internal Affairs, the prosecutor’s office and the Investigative Committee of Russia in connection with the initiation of cases of fraudulent actions against consumers and experts who issue opinions on marriage.

Representatives of the mobile phone operator MTS confirmed to the newspaper the information about the police’s refusal to initiate cases. Market sources reported similar problems in the retail DNS network and at telecom operators Megafon and VimpelCom (Beeline brand).

Citylink representatives told the newspaper that people regularly submit applications to the company with “false opinions from fake expert companies.” The amount of claims exceeds 150 thousand rubles. MTS confirmed to the publication that a buyer who files a consumer complaint, as a rule, not only receives compensation “multiple” of the cost of the product, but also takes away the product itself.

According to a survey by the Federal Society for Network Commerce, 62% of sellers on the Ozon, Yandex Market and Wildberries markets encountered cases of “consumer extremism” at least once in 2024. More than half of the Sellers met with unscrupulous consumers more than three times a year, another third – 2 or 3 times a year.