Govenment to amend laws to protect online shoppers from frauds

NEW DELHI: The government has initiated the process to amend the Consumer Protection Act to safeguard buyers from online frauds in e-commerce, Parliament was informed today.

"Keeping in view the increased number of online fraud/cheating cases, the government has also initiated steps for incorporating sufficient provisions for protection of consumers of online shopping/e-commerce under Consumer Protection Act, 1986," Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

In the last two years, nine complaints have been registered against e-commerce companies and the government has taken action on the same, he said.

Sinha said the government in not considering any proposal for a separate regulatory framework for e-commerce and the Directorate of Enforcement conducts investigations under FEMA and PMLA.

"Such investigations are carried out as and when any credible information, including those relating to frauds committed by e-commerce companies, is received," he added.