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How did the Financial Ombudsman help? (2016 – 2022)

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#RFdlaUkrainy: The Financial Ombudsman’s website in Ukrainian

30 May 2022

The Financial Ombudsman, as part of its activities under the #RFdlaUkrainy slogan, has launched a Ukrainian language version of its own website www.rf.gov.pl/ua. It contains basic information about the activities of the Office of the Financial Ombudsman, as well as advice and warnings for visitors from Ukraine. Email counselling in Ukrainian has also been operating for two months.

The Office of the Financial Ombudsman has launched a Ukrainian version of its website. This is another version of the Financial Ombudsman’s website, alongside the English and French versions. It contains compact information on the activities of the Office, the scope of its competence and the assistance it provides to clients of the banking, capital and insurance markets. Read more

#RFdlaUkrainy: Online safety. Beware of cybercriminals!

22 April 2022

In view of the ongoing war in Ukraine and in response to the need faced by Ukrainian citizens arriving in Poland in large numbers, many banks in Poland have prepared offers to open a bank account dedicated to our neighbours from the East. The Financial Ombudsman publishes a set of tips outlining the basic principles related to safe use of online banking and warns of the risk of money being stolen from a bank account and personal details being phished.

The Financial Ombudsman points out that criminals adapt to changing socio-economic realities and often take advantage of the difficult life situation or overconfidence of potential victims. The Financial Ombudsman expects that also in the current situation the actions of dishonest individuals and entities taking advantage of the difficult position of war victims and refugees will become visible. Cybercriminals can exploit the unawareness and anxiety of Ukrainian refugees in particular, therefore the Financial Ombudsman outlines basic principles and tips for safe online banking. Read more

An illusory insurance contract to a loan. The court agreed with the Financial Ombudsman and ruled in favour of the borrower who was ill.

21 April 2022

The District Court in Konin, hearing the case of the borrower, who was supported by the Financial Ombudsman with an important view, dismissed the claim in respect of the entire insurance fee. The Court shared the Financial Ombudsman’s view on the illusory insurance cover of a bancassurance product, i.e. insurance taken out together with a loan agreement. The court found that there were abusive, i.e. prohibited, provisions in the agreement and eliminated the insurance contract from the loan agreement. Read more

The Financial Ombudsman will examine ‘click loans’

20 April 2022

The Financial Ombudsman has requested banks to provide information related to so-called ‘click loans’. These are quick loans granted by banks, which customers can obtain through a bank transaction service without contacting a bank employee. Loans are granted automatically, and their limits are set by banks on the basis of their knowledge of their own customer’s financial situation. The Financial Ombudsman also wants to know how, and if at all, customers can relinquish the ‘click loan’ option in their existing range of available bank products.

The bank with which we have an account often assumes that it knows our financial situation well enough to grant us a loan of an individually specified value, without having to launch the creditworthiness checking procedure and other formalities. This is how a so-called ‘click loan’ was born, i.e. a quick loan that can be taken at a bank where we have an account and access to an online transaction service. To take advantage of such an offer, it usually only takes a few clicks on the bank’s website or mobile application – hence, the colloquial name for this type of loan products. Read more

Position of the Financial Ombudsman on the provision of banking and non-banking services and insurance products to refugees from Ukraine

18 March 2022

The Financial Ombudsman addressed banks, loan institutions, insurance companies and associations in Poland with demands for good practice in connection with the influx of refugees from Ukraine into our country. In his statements, he drew attention to the difficult living conditions, legal uncertainty and the language barrier of the now two-million and constantly growing group of refugees from Ukraine.

“Refugees leaving Ukraine lose access to their assets located in Ukraine and often do not have sufficient means of livelihood. Thus, people currently seeking protection in Poland may be particularly vulnerable to exclusion, poverty or exploitation,” the Financial Ombudsman writes in his position paper. Read more