Atypical summer in the consumers- banks relationship

During the summer months, consumers sent 50% more requests to the Alternative Banking Dispute Resolution Center (CSALB) compared to the same period last year, and the number of negotiations between consumers and banks is 60% higher than in June, July, and August of 2023.

For example, in the first week of August, consumers submitted 114 negotiation requests to banks, the second-highest weekly number this year (the record is 115 requests during the week of March 18-22). Also in August, the highest number of cases in a single week since CSALB’s establishment was recorded, with banks accepting 34 negotiations during August 19-23. Since the beginning of the year, consumers have submitted approximately 2,500 requests, and 720 negotiations have taken place so far.

In most cases, consumers requested that banks:

• Refund amounts previously charged as fees;
• Amicably resolve disputes currently pending in court;
• Provide assistance in cases of fraud and scams where consumers have been victims.

Consumers can get refunds for larger amounts than requested

Florica O., Craiova: I contracted a loan of 18,000 lei for which I claim the unjustified increase in variable interest and the commissions charged by the bank, such as the commission for granting credit, administration and risk tracking. I am asking for 2,000 lei, representing the amounts collected under these commissions. Solution accepted by the parties within CSALB: The Bank grants a total compensation of 920 euros and will transfer the equivalent in lei to the account indicated by the consumer.

Consumers forgo court cases after settling amicably with banks

Mariana H., Botoșani: I requested in court, in two separate files, the determination of the abusive character of the credit granting commission. In the request sent to CSALB, I request the return of the sum of 7,500 euros, as well as 3,500 lei for court costs. Solution accepted by the parties within the CSALB: The Bank grants a compensation of 8,200 euros, as well as 5,000 lei in court costs. The plaintiffs must submit to the court, by the first term of the trial, the requests to waive the trial.

Account fraud can also be resolved amicably in the case of companies

Retail company: We accessed a link with a misleading ad that used the name of a state-owned company. After that, several unauthorized transactions were made from the company’s account. We immediately notified the bank to block the account and cards. Solution accepted by the parties within CSALB: The bank grants from its own funds, as a commercial decision, the equivalent in lei of 23,000 euros, without this being understood as having any fault in relation to the operations carried out on the company’s account. In the situation where the company recovers the damage as a result of the legal steps taken, it is obliged to return to the bank the amount granted as compensation-commercial decision.

Alexandru Păunescu, the representative of the National Bank of Romania in the CSALB’s Coordination Board: “In the cases I have encountered in recent months within the CSALB, we have found particular situations that may represent certain trends in the relationship between consumers and banks. There were cases when consumers requested smaller amounts than those offered by the bank. This shows that banks analyze consumers’ particular financial statements and grant compensation in equity, not just according to the letter of the contract or the consumer’s written request. We draw the attention of both consumers and legal entities to take seriously the ever-changing fraud techniques used by cybercriminals. We see cases where losses can amount to tens of thousands of euros. Accessing links with deceptive advertising must be preceded by the critical sense of Internet users. The authenticity of the site or the pages representing the source of the accessed link must be verified from several sources. A growing challenge for banks’ IT systems is fraudulent transactions of small amounts. Consumers are attracted by the fact that they are purchasing an undervalued good or service, authorize the respective transaction in the home banking application, but by doing so give cybercriminals access to the accounts, from where they subsequently withdraw unauthorized amounts. That is why the permanent consultation of the account, the sms through which we are notified of any transaction from the account and the permanent maintenance of contact with the bank are the first measures that consumers must take. Unfortunately, most of the time such frauds remain unsolved by the Police or the bank. The commercial gestures that some banks make are the exception in such cases, motivated, most likely, by the intention of loyalty of the business partner.”