How to stay safe while shopping online?
September 17, 20245 Mins Read
Like the rest of the world, online shopping started in Bangladesh at the beginning of the 21st century, but due to the development in the country's information technology sector, its use increased at a large rate and it became quite popular during the Corona period. Products can be easily purchased online at home with a few clicks, no need to go out; No need to carry goods or bargain.

Online shopping security

By looking at the product information and customer reviews given by the seller in the online marketplace, one can easily get an idea about the quality and price of the product. Product can be paid for by mobile banking, credit card, debit card or cash on delivery; Marketplaces have various offers/discounts. Products can be bought/sold from any part of the country as no shop or showroom is required.

Online shops such as: Various personal websites or Facebook pages and online marketplaces such as: Daraj, Chaldal, Rockmari, Foodpanda, etc. through various platforms, buyers and sellers are buying and selling products virtually. Everything from household items to clothes, books, electronics products and even plants and livestock are now being bought online.

Due to these reasons, interest in online shopping is increasing day by day among people of all classes/professions. According to statistics, there are about 2 thousand e-cab registered e-commerce companies in the country; There are more than 50,000 pages/organizations run by individuals on various social media platforms including Facebook. According to sources, the country's e-commerce market size was around 66 thousand crore rupees in 2022, which is expected to reach 1.5 lakh crore rupees by 2026.

With the expansion of online shopping in the country, the number of frauds is also increasing. Many times it is seen that various online market places/shops are being cheated by providing torn, damaged, rotten or low quality products with pictures and descriptions of good quality products including apparels, electronics products, food products. Due to fake customer reviews, customers are easily fooled.

Many times the product is delivered to the customer later than the desired time. Sometimes there are complaints of embezzlement by blocking the customer's number or ID without delivering the desired product after payment. As many organizations do not have their own office, showroom or customer service, customers are deprived of after-sales service after purchase.

Some companies are seen cheating customers by luring them with huge discounts, cashbacks and various offers. In many cases, some companies initially provide products to a certain number of customers and after gaining credibility, there are also precedents of closing the company after stealing the money of a large number of customers.

Based on such allegations, several companies including E-Orange, Dhamaka and Evely have already been brought under the law. Also, various unestablished sites/shops are stealing personal information including banking information of customers or hacking their ID and necessary information through various phishing links.

Many people do not file a complaint to avoid the ignorance or extra time involved in obtaining legal remedies after being scammed in an online purchase. Due to non-reporting, fraudsters continue to cheat again and again without being caught.

It is a civil right of every person to get legal assistance in case of any kind of fraud. Buyers must be aware of any type of online shopping. At the time of purchase, address, mobile number, website/page details of the seller must be saved; Shop/page screenshots, payment and order confirmation screenshots, chat screenshots should be saved.

As soon as you realize the fraud, you should immediately file a GD/complaint with the relevant evidence at the nearest police station. Besides, the victim can also take assistance of cyber cell of law enforcement agencies with copy of GD/complaint. Once the perpetrator is identified, the victims can later secure their punishment by suing the fraudsters. Victims can also file a complaint with the Directorate of Consumer Protection or file a fraud case in court.

To ensure people's rights in online shopping, various laws have laid down guidelines for conducting e-commerce business, obtaining compensation and punishing those involved in fraud. Digital Commerce Governance Guidelines-2021 elaborates on consumer rights and fraud in online shopping. Also instructions are given to the customer regarding product delivery time, advance payment, product/service presentation in the marketplace.

Section 420 of Penal Code-1860 states that in case of fraud, filing a complaint at the police station or filing a case directly in the court. If the charge is proved, the said law has provisions to punish with various terms of imprisonment and fine. The defrauded person can file a complaint under the Sales of Goods Act-1930 before the Executive Magistrate. According to the Protection of Consumer Rights Act-2009, there is a provision to punish the accused person with various terms of imprisonment and fine if he does not supply the promised product to the consumer or resort to fraud.

In case of any kind of shopping online, you should check the product without buying it in haste. In this case, try to buy products from established/popular marketplaces or pages. Whether the company has a permanent office or not, whether the vendor's ID is correct or not, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certified or not to confirm the authenticity of the website.

Company ownership, contacts, contact numbers stored and customer reviews must be viewed; Also check if the reviews are fake or not. Don't be lured by low prices, huge discounts, cashbacks or any other flashy ads. View product descriptions, images, videos as well as check the price and quality of the product on other marketplaces. Information related to delivery time, defective product return process, refund policy and after sales service should be known. Go to the company's chat box and chat to confirm the detailed information about the product.

If necessary, seek advice from those who know about the product. Buying products on cash-on delivery without sharing any personal/sensitive information reduces the risk of fraud in online shopping. Payment cannot be made in advance other than in established or secure marketplaces. Online payment can be made if the website and payment method of the selling company is secure.

After receiving the delivery of the product, the product should be sent back mentioning any defect after inspection. If you are cheated, you should file a complaint with the concerned department. It is best not to click on pop-ups or phishing links received in e-mails related to tempting offers, or to shop online using public WiFi.

Tips to save money on shopping

The more careful and aware you are and the more research you do before shopping online, the less likely you are to be scammed. It is only through the vigilance and vigilance of all of us that it is possible to establish a safe and prosperous online marketplace by ensuring the services customers deserve in online shopping and controlling all types of fraud.