Argentina addresses consumer protection and debt issues

Representatives from various Argentine provinces gathered in Las Termas de Río Hondo for the 116th Ordinary Assembly of the Federal Consumer Council (Cofedec). The meeting focused on critical issues affecting citizens, including consumer over-indebtedness, unauthorized debits, illegal trade, and the risks posed by artificial intelligence and digital scams.

In the province of Buenos Aires, legislative commissions have advanced several projects aimed at mitigating family debt. These initiatives include incorporating the concept of ‘over-indebtedness’ into consumer rights laws, prohibiting abusive banking practices, and creating a judicial regime for debt restructuring.

Additionally, in Santa Cruz, a bill has been introduced to establish a protection regime against abusive extrajudicial collection practices. The proposal seeks to prohibit threats, intimidation, and the contacting of a debtor's family or employers to exert pressure, while setting specific regulated hours for collection communications.