l’AGCM has sanctioned Postemobile for unfair trading practices. The fine is 1.5 million euros. In the sights of the authority rates according to consumption which would be activated automatically upon expiry of the data and voice packages included in the offer, with the risk of unexpected drains on the account at the end of the month.
This behavior censored by the AGCM is said to relate to a long list of Postemobile offerings, including Creami Extra WOW 100, Creami Relax 100, Creami Relax 20 and PosteMobile Connect.
Postemobile allowed “continuation of outgoing traffic (voice, SMS and data) if there is insufficient credit on the SIM card” at the time of renewal of the periodic offer, “by the automatic activation of a fee component that the consumer has not requested”.
For example, Postemobile was able to charge the customer up to 3.5 euros per day for a package of 400 MB internet traffic. Laid on, explains the AGCM, which was charged on the first daily use. Same story for the calls, where, once the minutes included in the offer, the rate was between 12 and 25 cents per minute.
The problem, the authority notes, is that the customer was not warned at all about the activation of this aggressive pricing.
“The most serious fact is that PosteMobile has found a real lock in the charging mechanism. It works like this. A text message indicates that insufficient residual credit is needed to renew your offer with a vague deadline”,
we read in one of the consumer testimonials attached to the AGCM bulletin.
“Ex. On August 29, a text message warns at 1 pm: offer expires in three days (September 30-31-1 at 1 pm). But on August 31 at 7 am, a text message warns: the offer will be extended within 24 hours. However, the offer has already been suspended from 00:00 AM on August 31 pending credit.The smartest customer plugs in the phone
air mode or turn off the data to avoid spending even 1 extra cent automatically
from 23:59. And indeed a text message when the phone is switched on again warns: now you are calling at 18 C per minute e
you surf with 400Mb per day for € 3.5.
But the joke is around the corner…..
When you top up the credit and then reactivate the data line, the PosteMobile system
first load an offer NEVER REQUEST 3.5 € for 400Mb of data and only after your monthly offer! “
The reason for customer frustration is more than obvious. And also the reason for the sanction of more than 1.5 million euros.
Source: Lega Nerd
