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The Defensoría del Consumidor (DC) has activated legal procedures to protect and defend the rights and interests of consumers against potential improper charges that
providers of financial products and services might attempt to apply as a means of recovering loan or credit card balances through illegal withholdings from savings or payroll accounts, following the announcement of the Ley Quincena Veinticinco by President Nayib Bukele.
“Ley Quincena Veinticinco is a special economic benefit that must be paid in full and without any deductions […]”. Ley Quincena Veinticinco establishes that “these payments, by their nature and purpose, will not be subject to Income Tax Withholding and will enjoy the benefit of being exempt from seizure” (Articles 1 and 4).
In this context, the Defensoría del Consumidor warns providers of financial products and services that they cannot make charges, discounts or withholdings applied as recovery of loans or credit card balances through direct charges to savings or payroll accounts, when these affect income protected by law.
The institution emphasizes that making improper charges, such as direct debits from accounts […], constitutes an abusive practice. Under no circumstances can the consumer’s silence be interpreted as acceptance of the charge. These actions are sanctioned as a very serious violation of the Consumer Protection Law (LPC), pursuant to Articles 18, section c; 44, section e; and 47, with fines of up to 500 minimum wages.
The Defensoría del Consumidor urges the public to report any withholding or improper charges applied to income deposited in bank accounts, especially those derived from the Ley Quincena Veinticinco), which is supplementary and exempt from seizure, as announced by the Government.
Consumers can receive assistance and advice through the phone number 910, WhatsApp 7844-1482, the Centros de Solución de Controversias (CSC) or the Online Defensoría del Consumidor, available at the link https://enlinea.defensoria.gob.sv/
Information required to file a complaint: DUI number, passport number, or resident card number, as applicable; name of the provider; type and number of the affected savings or payroll account; amount improperly charged and the date the charge was applied; and reference number of the loan or credit card active with the provider.
The Defensoría del Consumidor will remain vigilant to protect the income of Salvadoran families and penalize any abusive practices that violate consumer rights, in accordance with the current legal framework.
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