Youth orders phone online, receives detergent bar
What's the story
Some days back, a Mumbai youth ordered an iPhone 8 from Flipkart, but the parcel he received gave him a shock. Instead of the phone for which he had paid Rs. 55,000, the package contained a detergent bar! He soon lodged a complaint. However, incidents like these are not as uncommon as one would expect. What can you do if you are scammed?
Information
Cheating case lodged against Flipkart
The complainant was 26-year-old Panvel resident Tabrej Mehaboob Nagrali. He ordered the phone and paid the full amount, but on January 22, received a detergent bar instead. Flipkart says it is conducting an inquiry. Meanwhile, a case of cheating has been lodged against the portal.
Cases
As more Indians shop online, rise in similar complaints
Similar complaints have surfaced several times. In July'17, a Meerut man received a stone after ordering a Redmi Note 4 from Flipkart. In September'17, a Delhi man ordered a OnePlus-5'>OnePlus 5 from Amazon, but the parcel contained three packs of Fena detergent instead. A Mumbai resident made a similar complaint about receiving a stone instead of a phone from Amazon in December'17.
Precautions
What to do if you receive a fake product?
Most brands offer refunds/replacements in such cases, but you have to take maximum care. If your parcel seems suspicious, make sure to record yourself on video while unwrapping it. Contact customer support with all documentary evidence. Reaching out on social media is a good option. Maintain records of all interactions with the company's representatives. If nothing else works, take the case to consumer court.
Sellers
However, considering brands' customer-friendly policies, sellers more vulnerable to fraud
It's not just a one-way street though: there are several cases of buyers duping sellers too. In October'15, a Bengaluru resident was accused of ordering products from Flipkart worth Rs. 20L, replacing them with fake items and returning them, seeking refunds. Many sellers have similar complaints. To make things worse, e-commerce policies are largely biased towards customers, they allege, leaving them vulnerable to fraud.