Electronic consumer protection agency (Procon) opens in Rio.
A pioneer in the country, the new consumer protection service will reduce the resolution time for cases from one month to ten days; in the first few months, it will handle cases related to delays in service at banks and failure to meet delivery deadlines for online purchases.
Agência Brasil – The Rio de Janeiro city hall inaugurated today (28) the Electronic Procon, created by the Municipal Secretariat for Consumer Protection of the capital of Rio de Janeiro. The new consumer protection service is pioneering in the country and will resolve disputes between companies and customers dissatisfied with the provision of services in a faster way. Initially, the Electronic Procon will handle cases related to delays in service at banks and failure to meet delivery deadlines for purchases made online.
According to the Secretary of Consumer Protection, Solange Amaral, with the creation of the electronic service, the time to resolve cases will be reduced to just ten days. Today, depending on the case, resolving problems takes around a month. "The consumer calls the city hall's call center and we immediately send the complaint to the company, which will have up to ten days to resolve the problem for the Rio de Janeiro consumer," she explained.
Given the broad scope of the issue, Solange Amaral stated that within a month, the Procon Carioca call center will also handle other complaints. The department aims to register over 2 complaints per month, and expects this number to grow in the coming months with the promotion of the service.
Consumers who feel they have been wronged can file their complaints by calling the city hall's customer service hotline at 1746 or through the website www.1746.rio.gov.br.