Beware of companies that find keys: tips from Papierclip AG and how you can defend yourself

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Key finding company Büroclip AG launched a few years ago and made headlines. Now it’s back with a similar scam: You receive an unannounced call from a person posing as an employee of Papierclip AG. You have the key discovery badge and now need to renew your subscription for the next ten years. This costs 200 francs. If you accept this extension, the employee will ask you to conclude the contract verbally over the phone. Records the conversation as evidence of the result.

However, this also happened to Klaus Widmer, who did not want to appear here using his real name. He agrees to extend the contract over the phone. When he researched Papierclip AG online after the meeting, he discovered the following: The company has been in existence for over two years. In June 2021, the company was dissolved according to the commercial register.

Widmer is not the only person contacted by Papierclip AG. In recent weeks, many disgruntled people have contacted the advice center “Observer”. They all bought a key finding plaque from Papierclip AG many years ago. Then, as now, this was a so-called door-to-door sale, that is, a paperclip employee persuaded customers to sign a contract by phone and sold them such a sticker at a supposedly good price. They bought the badge for 99 francs with a subscription period of 10 years.

It is a fact that other providers offer the same service at a much cheaper price. In 2009, some customers also told the “Observer” that the employee offered a lower price over the phone, but then sent a much higher bill.

The contract is no longer valid

For the next few years, things were quiet at Papierclip AG. Now a former employee of the company is calling old customers and trying to persuade them to renew their subscriptions. “The biggest joke is that my ten-year subscription hasn’t expired yet,” says an impressed Klaus Widmer. When he realized that the key finding company had already disbanded, he immediately canceled his contract by registered letter to the old company’s address.

The following points apply to door-to-door sales: Customers can withdraw from the contract within 14 days. However, this only applies to services over 100 francs. If the amount is less, it must be paid. “Observer” consultant Nicole Müller recommends canceling the contract using the “Observer” sample letter by registered mail.

“Anyone who accepts a 100-franc contract can easily get away with it,” says Müller. There is no need to press – because the two-week period only begins when the provider notifies the customer in writing of the right to withdraw. You don’t need to do anything until you get something in writing.

In the Papierclip AG case, you can also defend yourself if the amount is less than 100 francs. “Since the company no longer exists as such, the situation here is essentially clear: the customer has been deceived and therefore the contract is not valid.” He recommends doing this in writing and via registered mail.

The owner of Büroclip AG did not respond to the “observer’s” attempt to contact him.

Source :Blick