• The telephone operator TeleGo was misleading consumers.
• Representatives of the company passed themselves off as consumers' existing operator and did not issue contract documents to consumers.
• Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK, imposed penalties on the company with a total value of almost PLN 8 million.

TeleGo provides fixed-line and mobile telecommunications services, Internet access services and telecare services. The Office received numerous complaints against the company.

In the course of the proceedings, we confirmed that company's representatives claimed to be consumers' existing operator when visiting consumers' homes. They indicated that the documents presented for signature concerned the change of the terms of the contract, not signing a new one. They also did not leave consumers documents, including contract withdrawal forms, which may have made it difficult for them to exercise this right.

"TeleGo primarily targeted seniors, which are a particularly sensitive social group. Consumers did not receive full and accurate information from TeleGo representatives about an entrepreneur with which they were signing a contract and the purpose of visit. It is unethical to gain new customers by impersonating an existing operator that customers already trust. We also questioned the fact that company's representatives often did not leave consumers a set of documents, including contract withdrawal forms," says Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK.

The President of UOKiK ordered TeleGo to stop the questioned practices, with the decision being immediately enforceable. He also imposed penalties of nearly PLN 8 million (PLN 7,906,551). The company must also publish this decision on its website within a month of it becoming final and inform consumers who have concluded contracts with the company about the decision by registered letter.  In the past, the President of UOKiK imposed penalties on several telecommunications companies for impersonating existing operators. For example, this was the case for PGT (Telefonia Polska Razem), Telekomunikacja Cyfrowa, Twoja Telekomunikacja, Nasza SA and Telestrada.

Consumer Advice:

1. Follow the principle of limited trust in relation to verbal offers, information, proposals to conclude a contract.
2. Request indication of the verbally presented offer, information or proposal in the documents you are about to sign.
3. Allow yourself time to make a decision; do not sign documents and contracts "here and now".
4. Do not sign contracts the meaning of which is not clear and requires further consultation with your closest relations or a lawyer. Definitely do not sign anything in a hurry and before reading it.
5. Make sure and check who you sign the contract with.
6. Demand the release of copies of signed documents.
7. If copies of the signed documents are not provided, contact the consumer ombudsman in your city or county. You can search for them at: pomoc.php.
8. Remember, if you have concluded a remote contract, you can withdraw from it without giving reasons within 14 days. This is known as the right of reflection, allowing the consumer to examine the goods or service and consider purchase rationality.

Consumer assistance:

Phone 801 440 220 or 22 290 89 16 - Consumer Helpline
E-mail: porady@dlakonsumentow.pl
Consumer ombudsman - in your city or county
The Office of Electronic Communications - Consumer Information Centre- 22 33 04 000

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL