“The business of emergencies.” The State Criminal Police Office and the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center are launching a joint campaign against dubious craft businesses and emergency services.
Dubious emergency services criticized: This is what the State Criminal Police Office and consumer advice center say.
- Emergency services sometimes charge horrendous prices
- Many reports are received by the police
- You don't have to pay cash directly
More than 1,000 euros for a simple door opening? Dubious craft and service businesses take advantage of consumers' distress: They charge completely excessive amounts for services that are often carried out improperly and pressure their customers to pay immediately. The State Criminal Police Office and the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center are jointly taking action against the fraudulent emergency business with an information campaign.
The police and consumer advice centers regularly receive reports and complaints about dubious craft and service businesses. The quality of rip-offs has increased recently: completely inflated prices for a simple door opening of over 1,000 euros are currently not uncommon. Other trades are also being added: For example, dubious providers have recently been noticed in pest control or pipe cleaning due to improper work and disproportionately high demands for money.
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“With the joint information campaign we want to help people defend themselves against the black sheep of the industries,” says Ralf Michelfelder, President of the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office. “We want to encourage those affected to contact the police and the consumer advice center.”
Emergency services: Do not allow yourself to be put under pressure
It is not uncommon for victims to feel pressured and forced to make an immediate payment. “If customers feel threatened or are afraid, they can call the police on 110,” advises Michelfelder. If you suspect fraudulent activity, you can report it to the police at any time.
The consumer advice center advises that consumers should ask for an invoice and not pay directly in cash. “In individual cases, we can support those affected with our advice,” says Cornelia Tausch, board member of the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center. “We can also take civil action against providers and have already done so successfully in the past.”
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Through regular exchanges about new meshes and structures in the relevant trades, the police and consumer advice centers increase the pressure on the “black sheep” in the craft and service sectors. Both institutions use their own findings to protect consumers from rip-offs and to consistently prosecute crimes in this area.
The police and the consumer advice center are promoting the joint information campaign via their social media channels as well as postcards and the brochure “The Business of the Emergency”, which will be available in all police stations, at the consumer advice center and also online in the next few days. There are also tips on the topic in a detailed podcast, available via the consumer advice center, as well as in the SWR program “Beware, Crime!” on February 4th, 2020.
Tips on this topic:
- Write down numbers of selected emergency services and keep the piece of paper in your wallet or under the doormat
- Find out more about the company you choose and agree on a fixed price for the service you want
- Don't let yourself be put under pressure: If in doubt, don't sign, insist on an invoice and don't pay immediately
- Get help: If you are threatened, call the police on 110. The police and consumer advice centers can also help afterwards
See also:
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )