A customer got a Vodafone contract that she hadn’t even ordered. Consumer advocates have therefore warned Vodafone. Update: Vodafone presents the case somewhat differently, but confirms the warning.
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Internet contract foisted: consumer advocates warn Vodafone.
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According to the Hamburg consumer advice center, Vodafone sent an existing customer an order confirmation for the “Vodafone CableMax 1000” contract by email on June 1, 2022. Although the woman “neither telephoned employees of her telecommunications provider nor contacted the company personally or in writing – and certainly not asked for a contract extension”. Because the customer already had a landline contract with Vodafone. The consumer advocates warned Vodafone: “If Vodafone untruthfully confirms the conclusion of contracts for the product ‘Vodafone CableMax 1000’ in the future, a contractual penalty will be due,” write the consumer advocates.
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Statements from Vodafone
Vodafone responded to our inquiry about this case in a timely manner. We reproduce the statement of the Düsseldorf telecommunications company here in full:
”
The VZ press release only deals with one new case: a cable customer from Bavaria has a valid contract with us until September 12, 2022 for the Vodafone Cable Max 1000 product. On June 1, 2022, a Vodafone service provider called the customer . He suggested extending her contract by two more years. According to information from the service provider, Ms L. agreed to the offer. On the same day, the customer received confirmation of the desired contract extension from us. Also on the same day, a family member of Ms. L. canceled the order and stated that the customer had not received a call about a possible contract extension. We then canceled the order. The contract expires on September 12, 2022.
We received a warning from VZ HH (Consumer Center Hamburg, editor’s note) for this customer case and, after thorough consideration and consideration of all aspects, issued a cease-and-desist declaration.
Basically, an honest, clean and sustainable business is crucial for Vodafone. A contract should only be concluded with each customer if he is aware of this product and wants to use it
.”
Consumer advocates against Vodafone: A long story
Consumer advocates have been taking action against Vodafone for some time because of foisted contracts. The consumer advocates emphasize that customers would contact them regularly because Vodafone Germany had sent them order confirmations for services that the customers did not want at all. Here is an overview:
Cat receives Vodafone contract – that’s what the provider says
Consumer advocates warn: Vodafone is foisting contracts on users
Court sentences Vodafone for foisted contract
Court sentences Vodafone: wrong contract foisted on customers
It’s about these products
Specifically, these are the offers: “Vodafone Giga TV App”, “Vodafone TV Connect”, “Vodafone GigaTV including HD Premium Cable”, “Kabel Digital” and “Video Select” as well as products from the “Red Internet & Phone Cable” product group “, the “Vodafone security package” and currently the product “Vodafone CableMax 1000”. With all of these products, there are cases in which, according to the consumer advocates, contracts have been foisted on customers. The consumer advocates emphasize that they have already had successes against Vodafone several times in court because of foisted contracts. According to this, Vodafone Deutschland GmbH may no longer send order confirmations for the above-mentioned products to consumers if they have not ordered the services.
Another example
In one case, a customer received an order confirmation in the “Vodafone Giga TV App” so that she could watch films and series from her favorite channels on her smartphone or tablet for EUR 9.99 per month. However, the customer had not even concluded this contract and never spoken to a Vodafone employee about it, but only terminated her two-year DSL contract with Vodafone in good time. In this case, too, the consumer advocates went to court and won. The Hamburg consumer advice center has compiled these and other cases of unwanted Vodafone contracts here.
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