Please note: This is a general educational program. We do not review individual cases, provide legal advice, file complaints on anyone's behalf, or offer legal representation. All content is informational and applies to the general regulatory framework in Paraguay.
The Legal Framework for Financial Consumers
This first session establishes the foundation. Before you can understand what to do when something goes wrong, you need to understand what the law actually says — and what it means for you as a financial consumer in Paraguay.
Topics Covered
- Overview of Law No. 1334/98 (Consumer Protection Law) and its application to financial services
- What financial institutions are legally required to disclose before you sign any contract
- What constitutes abusive contractual clauses under Paraguayan consumer law
- The right to clear, complete, and truthful information about financial products
- Prohibited practices: what financial entities cannot do under the law
- Q&A: participants share situations and we discuss how the legal framework applies
Understanding the legal framework is not about memorizing articles of law — it is about knowing what you are entitled to expect from any financial institution you work with.
Knowing which institution handles which type of complaint is the difference between a concern that goes nowhere and one that reaches the right desk.
Regulatory Bodies: BCP and SEDECO
This session focuses on the two main institutions that handle consumer complaints related to financial services in Paraguay — how they work, what they can do, and how to approach them effectively.
Topics Covered
- The role of the Banco Central del Paraguay (BCP) in supervising financial entities
- How to file a complaint with the BCP: the process, required information, and what to expect
- What the BCP can and cannot do in response to a consumer complaint
- The role of SEDECO and the types of financial consumer complaints it handles
- How to approach SEDECO: the process and what documentation is typically needed
- Understanding which institution is appropriate for different types of situations
Documentation, Records, and Practical Tools
The final session is the most practical. It focuses on what you can do right now — before any dispute arises — to be better prepared as a financial consumer. Good documentation habits are one of the most effective tools available to any consumer.
Topics Covered
- Which documents to keep from the moment you open any financial product (loan, credit card, account)
- How to organize contracts, receipts, account statements, and correspondence
- What information tends to strengthen a complaint and what tends to be insufficient
- Digital vs. physical records: what to keep in each format and why
- Practical exercises: reviewing sample documents and identifying key information
- Open Q&A session to address participants' specific questions
Documents to Always Keep
- Original signed contract and all addenda
- Monthly account statements (at least 12 months)
- All payment receipts and transaction records
- Written communications with the institution
- Any notices of changes to terms or conditions