Italy consumer groups report telecom abuses and utility scams

Consumer rights organizations in Italy are raising alarms regarding unfair practices by telecommunications and energy companies. Adiconsum Matera has denounced the practice of service providers disconnecting phone and internet lines even when bills are under official dispute or conciliation. According to AGCOM and Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy regulations, providers are prohibited from blocking services if the unpaid amount is being contested.

In a separate development, fraudulent robocalls are targeting Italian consumers. These automated calls claim that a recipient's social bonus has not been applied to their utility bill and instruct users to press '1' to speak with an operator. This tactic contradicts upcoming consumer code protections and AGCOM filters designed to prevent unauthorized commercial calls and the misuse of Italian mobile numbers by foreign callers.