The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) is warning consumers about fraudulent telephone sales practices concerning home batteries. The reason for this is a large number of reports in the past six months, in which consumers indicate that they feel pressured and have been misled about the nature of the product or the agreement.

 

According to the ACM, home batteries are complex products that cannot be obtained via an unsolicited telephone call should be sold. The regulator advises consumers to hang up immediately if they receive an unexpected call about purchasing a home battery. Anyone who does engage in the conversation is advised to record the conversation and, above all, not to sign a digital signature without full clarity.

Fraudulent sellers often use different company names or pretend to be an employee of an energy supplier. Many victims thought they were requesting a no-obligation quote, but turned out to have signed a purchase contract for tens of thousands of euros – often including a loan.

ACM board member Manon Leijten calls on consumers to be alert: "The easiest thing to do is to hang up immediately. But if you do continue talking, record the conversation. That helps in the event of any disputes."

The ACM emphasises that consumers are legally entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period for telephone sales, increasing to 1 year if this cooling-off period is not stated correctly. Sample letters and tips are available on ConsuWijzer.nl for those who want to cancel or annul a contract. (ACM)

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