Indecopi: financial system faces more than 3,300 complaints

At the national level, the sector that receives the largest number of complaints from its clients is the Finance system, according to information provided by Indecopi to La República. Thus, from January 2022 to June of this year, 3,330 claims have been registered through the Consumer Protection Commission No. 1. That is, there were approximately six daily claims in 18 months to banks, finance companies, cooperatives and municipal savings banks.

In addition, only in the first half of 2023, a total of 563 complaints to banking entities were registered, which are currently in process and do not have a final pronouncement.

Types of complaints

Among the main reasons for the lawsuits, the reports on financial entities that do not provide certificate of non-debtwhich must be delivered when a credit is canceled and allows users to prove to credit bureaus that they are not debtors.

Added to this are other complaints about account manipulation, unreported increase in commissions and unrecognized consumption.

“There is a proliferation of abusive clauses in all contracts. What would be required is that both the SBS and Indecopi come to an agreement and review the financial contracts of the main products of the banks,” he said. Chrysologist Cácerespresident of Aspec.

Another underlying problem highlighted by the specialist is the high concentration of the four banks in the country —BCP, Continental, Scotiabank and Interbank—, which account for 90% of consumer savings. This makes it difficult for there to be competition between these financial institutions, which harms consumers.

Excessive deadlines

In this sense, this medium was recently able to learn of a complaint against Interbank for unilaterally changing the mortgage loan contract by increasing the monthly fee, disabling the account and preventing payment, in addition to damaging the client’s credit image and not being accountable for the AFP funds delivered. The letter was imposed on October 5, 2021 and the first ruling was issued in August 2022 (Resolution 2351-2022/CC1), supporting the claims and fined S/251,014.50 (50.71 UIT) to the entity.

However, in September the bank appealed, a situation of which the user warns that she was only notified five months later. And on August 18, 2023, it received the final resolution in the second instance, which, although it confirms most of the accusations, has omitted to order the return of the original capital balances that were irregularly collected. “They have truncated me for almost three years,” the complainant specified to this outlet. Even the fine to the entity has dropped to 36.89 UIT, equivalent to S/182,605.50.

“The confrontation and litigation is absolutely unequal. Banks have law firms, with up to 200 dedicated to that; on the other hand, a client is a natural person who does not have those resources,” he said. jamie delgadospecialist in consumer protection.

How to file a complaint with Indecopi?

Those users who want to report can do so through the physical or virtual complaints book of the same bank, as well as the channels they make available. Records of filing your claim must be retained.

Likewise, the financial entity has the obligation to respond within a maximum period of 15 business days.

Complaints can also be submitted through other Indecopi channels, such as the website, mail or by calling 224-7777 (Lima) and 0800-4-4040 (regions).

Clients should take into account that the entities in which they deposit their savings have deposit protection insurance regulated by the SBS.