Quick tips to spot an online delivery fraud

In a recent scam, a Bengaluru software engineer received a tile instead of the Rs 1.86 lakh foldable phone he had ordered on an e-commerce platform.

Premanand, who bought the phone on October 14, filed a complaint with the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal before approaching the Kumaraswamy Layout police station on October 19 to register an FIR. The station inspector told Metrolife on Wednesday that an investigation is underway. “We have approached Amazon (the e-commerce platform in question) to identify the middlemen involved in the transaction,” he said.

He noted that the “modus operandi in online scams keeps evolving” and that police regularly conduct awareness drives whenever new scams surface.

Experts share tips on how one can protect oneself from such frauds.

Red flags

Tanveer Hasan, executive director at the Centre for Internet and Society, said such incidents are not new and often spike during online sale seasons. “There’s a direct correlation between the number of scams and high-volume discount periods. The abundance of deals and fear of missing out on them often cloud consumer judgment,” he explained. The first rule is to avoid “offers that are too good to be true,” says Hasan.

K Jaishankar, principal director and professor of criminology and justice sciences at the International Institute of Justice and Police Sciences, urges buyers to check seller credentials. “Click on the seller’s name to see their history and ratings — a new seller with perfect ratings is suspicious,” he notes.

For expensive purchases, buy directly from brand websites, keep screenshots of order details, and record an unboxing video in one continuous shot for proof. Always ensure the website is genuine by checking for ‘https’ and the padlock icon. New seller profiles, random alphanumeric names, and stock images instead of real product photos are other warning signs, he adds. “Scammers often sell small genuine items to inflate ratings. This tactic is called ‘rating stuffing’. Later, they switch to high-value listings and disappear after dispatching incorrect products,” Jaishankar explains.

Legal side

Advocate Vidhi Lakhani advises consumers who receive incorrect or fake products to first issue a legal notice to both the e-commerce platform and the retailer. If this fails, approach the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission for claims below Rs 50 lakh under Section 35 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. They should carry documents such as the invoice, proof of delivery, photographs of the wrong item, and records of communication with the seller or platform. Under Section 85 of the Act, e-commerce platforms and retailers can be held liable for “deficiency in service”.

Vidhi added that the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, were introduced for greater transparency and accountability among online marketplaces.