Bank's Brazilian branch faces a penalty of R$155,000 due to infringements on consumer rights.
The Banco do Brasil branch located in Belo Horizonte has been fined R$ 159,120.46 by Procon/MG for violating consumer rights and presenting irregularities in service delivery. The fine was applied due to infringements in consumer rights and the refusal to sign a Term of Conduct Adjustment (TAC) and Administrative Transaction (TA).
According to an investigation conducted by the Consumer Protection Prosecutor's Office in Belo Horizonte, the bank branch did not provide adequate information about payment refusal situations, with the necessary information not available on totems as required by legislation. Another irregularity found was that the establishment did not have dividers or similar structures between the electronic cashiers, which goes against the law.
Banco do Brasil has stated that the self-service terminals in the branch were designed with the intention of ensuring security. However, the absence of screens on the electronic cashiers in the 'Estilo' modality branch in Belo Horizonte, as noted by the bank, is due to restricted client access and the design to prevent third parties from viewing operations.
The Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais (MPMG) released information about the investigation on Monday, July 7. The Federal Police routinely inspects the security of the Banco do Brasil branch in Belo Horizonte, according to the financial institution.
Totems with mandatory information were present in the Banco do Brasil branch, as stated by MPMG. However, the information about payment refusal and check acceptance was available in a folder, not on totems as the legislation establishes.
The specific legal provisions used for the fine include articles 6, III, IV, and VI, 7, 31, and 39, VIII of the Consumer Protection Code, article 5, § 3 of Resolution of the National Monetary Council No. 4,949/2021, and articles 2, VI and VII of State Law No. 12,971/1998.
As of now, Banco do Brasil has not publicly commented on the fine. To obtain the official response, it may be necessary to consult Banco do Brasil's official press releases or statements directly or monitor media reports for updates.
The Banco do Brasil's business practices, specifically at their Belo Horizonte branch, have been questioned due to fining for non-compliance with consumer rights and service irregularities. The bank allegedly failed to provide necessary information about payment refusals and check acceptance, and did not adhere to legal requirements regarding dividers or structures at electronic cashiers.
