The noose is tightening around Indexia. The mobile phone insurer is facing several judicial processes by its clients. On Monday the trial of two of them begins before the Paris Court of Appeal. In the first instance, they managed to get the company to notify them of the contract they had signed, but the latter appealed. At stake: claim the scam they suffered.
Like thousands of other customers, they bought a mobile phone or a computer between 2017 and 2022 at Fnac Darty, SFR, Orange or CDiscount. At the same time, they took out insurance against theft and loss with the French Multimedia Insurance Company (Sfam), a partner of these brands. The monthly payments of 15.99 euros on average were taken from them, without their knowledge, several times a month and up to amounts of 50 or 60 euros.
“Deceptive Business Practices”
His lawyer requires the communication of his clients’ contracts as well as any guarantee that authorizes additional direct debits, as indicated by the company in the first instance. “Indexia communicated a contract but no amendment…” explains the lawyer Emma Leoty. Do they really exist? This is the whole question when the dozens of clients who have taken legal action claim not to have signed any. Contacted several times, the management of the company, its president and founder Sadri Fegaier and his lawyers, did not answer us.
Now renamed Indexia, the group has a turnover of 400 million euros, 10% of which is in insurance. He ensures that injured clients account for only 2% of his client portfolio. Indexia has been dedicated to refurbishing mobile phones under the Hubside brand for three years.
On Monday, April 3, the second trial begins before the Court of Paris. 61 clients ask for 10,000 euros each for damages. They will be based in particular on the numerous documents filed in court by the General Directorate for Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) and which BFM Business has obtained. A judgment from the Paris Court of Appeal, dating from September 2021, carefully describes the “questionable business practices” of “Sfam”.
Fraud Prevention Fine
Serial withdrawals, sometimes by other companies in the Indexia group so as not to attract customer attention, multiple refusals to terminate contracts, scams remain commonplace, as clients explain on social media every day. A Facebook group has even been created: “Arnaques Sfam” lists 3,700 members who complain daily about the abuses that continue.
UFC Que Choisir describes them as an “organized system.” The consumer association also filed a complaint in 2019 after the DGCCRF sentenced Indexia to a fine of 10 million euros for “deceptive commercial practices”. Two more trials should take place this year.
Source: BFM TV
