Public order office warns against so-called "(coffee) bus trips"
The public order office of the city of Chemnitz warns against participation in a so-called "(coffee) bus trip" inviting people to an "account closure" on Friday, 21 February 2014.According to information available to the public order office, the invitation was sent to households in Chemnitz over the past few weeks; the sender is "KONTENVERWALTUNGSZENTRUM, Postfach 11 01 46, 28081 Bremen".
The invitation from the so-called account management centre purports to be about the liquidation of the company HTF-Europazentrale, which the recipient of the invitation had allegedly recently written to or travelled with. In addition, he was listed as a customer for whom a credit balance was listed, which was now to be "offset" as part of a small celebration.
The public order office points out that the promise of cash payments, non-cash prizes or gifts to be handed out after a bus trip, the use of a PO box address and the possibility of bringing other people along are unmistakable signs of a dubious so-called "(coffee) bus trip" where promised prizes are not handed out. According to the public order office, such promises are intended to lure people to a sales event at which overpriced goods are offered and usually also sold by exerting pressure.
Although these "(coffee) bus trips" have been known for many years and consumer protection organisations, the police and the media have repeatedly warned against taking part, the Chemnitz public order office has found that older citizens in particular are unfortunately repeatedly taken in by such "offers". Incidentally, the destination of the trip on Friday is not mentioned in the invitation. This makes it more difficult for public order officers and the police to intervene against the mostly illegal events.