The Polish competition authority has penalized Fincapital, a credit intermediary, for misleading consumers about the possibility of extending loan repayments. The company advertised a paid credit scoring report as a necessary condition for delaying loan payments, which was not required by lenders.

Fincapital promoted the report as an 'express' and 'hassle-free' solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with new regulations that limited additional loan costs. Consumers were not informed that they could extend repayments without purchasing the report or that it did not guarantee an extension.

The authority's president, Tomasz Chróstny, stated that Fincapital's actions constituted unfair market practices, creating a false impression that purchasing the report was essential for repayment extensions. The imposed fine amounts to 2,651,000 PLN, and the company has the right to appeal the decision.