Buyer beware – all that glitters isn’t gold when buying online
THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR: Gold bar and jewellery made up the highest value of online scams with claims totalling RM66,435 reported to the Consumer Claims Tribunal (TTPM) last year.
The second highest involved handphones and its accessories. These totalled RM48,461.14.
Consumers also lodged complaints involving handbags (claims valued at RM25,580) and flight tickets (RM24,846.92).
The statistics also showed that 1,354 cases were reported on online fraud for the past year.
Among the issues raised were that goods purchased were not received (638 cases); unsatisfactory after-sales service (60 cases) and goods received were not goods ordered (11).
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said it was a common problem for many online shoppers that they did not receive the same item they saw online.
“These fake products are causing the decline of confidence in consumers, not only in this country but also all over the world.
“What is clear here; fraud can happen anywhere,” he said after launching Malaysia’s first exclusive premium halal e-marketplace, aladdinstreet.com.my.
The e-commerce platform is currently available online and on Android devices.
The iOS version is expected to be launched soon.
Hamzah said the ministry was looking into strengthening its e-Aduan system, a channel where consumers could file their complaints online and via an app.
“We want to determine the fraud as quickly as we can because sometimes these cases happen in 24 hours. And after that, the fake item is back online due to the nature of online business,” he said, adding that the ministry was working closely with the Communications and Multimedia Ministry on improving the system.
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