How Dubai Fights Online Fraud, Protects Shoppers From Fake Items, Pricing Scams

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

With the growth of e-commerce, there has been an increasing trend of phishing emails, scams and false advertisement, according to a local official. This is why the Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade works extra hard to protect consumers from scams in the city and ensure that they get their rights.

“People have become very creative in terms of scamming (others) and taking advantage of them in ways that are not legal,” said Ahmad Ahli, Acting Director of the Consumer Protection Department, Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade.

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“So we need to remind our consumers to know their rights, to make sure they read carefully, especially when buying online, to know whom they're buying from and whom they're interacting with. We ask them to check if the business is reputable, to always use the accredited and approved payment links and that the consumers will never be requested for OTPs. We always make sure that our customers are protected.”

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Ahmad was speaking about the importance of safeguarding trust in the retail economy at CX Evolve, organized by Khaleej Times. The event brought together some of the region's most influential leaders and decision-makers, who are redefining customer experience (CX) in the UAE.

He added that the department was pursuing innovative ways - like working with social media influencers - to educate their customers about various topics including the prices of products, where to buy them from and who the licensed sellers are.

Building trust

According to Ahmad, one bad experience while shopping can destroy trust and damage not just a brand, but the wider ecosystem.“Trust is a main pillar of today's customer experience, especially with an era that is driven by digital transformation,” he said.

He explained that his department has worked hard to build and uphold this trust through transparent pricing, maintaining high standards of quality and on-time delivery - a process he explained takes a lot of effort and time.

Another way the department has been building trust is by cracking down on fake and counterfeit items.“Through regular campaigns, we educate people about counterfeit items because they really damage the brands,” he said.“Especially those brands that are registered with us, we work with them to address any issues that they face with unlicensed sales of their products in Dubai.”

He added that counterfeit products, when discovered, are seized and the perpetrators fined, depending on the severity of their offence.

Regulatory innovation

Several innovative regulations have been put in place in the Dubai to safeguard consumers' rights and to make a healthy environment to ensure healthy competitiveness, fair practices and justice across the industry, according to Ahmad.

“When drafting policies, we always aim to make it easier for businesses to comply, and at the same time, make it easier for the consumers to understand their rights, and protect them and make sure they get them when interacting,” he said.“We established the Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade because fair trade has become a clear focus for Dubai. We ensure the market is competitive and that retailers and investors can thrive in Dubai, ensuring sustainable growth for everyone in the industry.”

He added that the focus of his department was to build a resilient ecosystem that harmonises digital transformation and the shift towards e-commerce with consumer rights and protection.

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