Online shoppers complain of RM30mil losses to fraud, says council
Johor and Selangor had the highest number of complaints, followed by Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.
GEORGE TOWN: A total of 300 complaints involving losses of more than RM30 million concerning online purchase fraud were received from the public by the National Consumer Action Council up to July.
The council’s welfare bureau chief Kenta Goh said the complaints were received in five states, with Johor and Selangor recording the highest number of complaints and losses followed by Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan.
“We are quite surprised with the complaints received because the victims have not lost small amounts but instead large amounts on online purchases which is why the total amount of losses came up to more than RM30 million.
“The main reason many consumers are cheated online is because since the implementation of the movement control order, people have been buying more online…some even believe in cheap online sales,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of the council’s Penang branch today.
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Goh, who is the council’s Penang president, said that his team helped consumers by channeling advisory services as well as being a mediator between the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, the police and consumers.