MANILA – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has warned consumers to be more cautious when shopping online to avoid fraudulent transactions in the Internet. DTI mentioned the following “red flags” to spot an unscrupulous online shopping website:
  • Products are advertised at very low prices compared to other websites;
  • online sellers have poor ratings or feedback;
  • online sellers ask buyers to pay by money transfer direct to their bank account instead of a preferred payment method;
  • website do not have contact details such as a physical address or telephone number; and
  • website have little or no information about privacy and terms and conditions of use.
For its part, the government is pushing for further reforms to enhance consumer protection. The DTI is also pushing for amendments to the Consumer Act particularly expanding consumer protection measures to e-commerce transactions. “Republic Act No, 8792 or the E-Commerce Act strengthens the recognition of online transactions as valid legal transactions. Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Act enhances consumer protection by considering illegal acts committed through the internet as crimes punishable by law, whether the person is registered at DTI or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or is not registered as a seller,” the DTI noted. In 2014, an estimated of US$ 34 trillion worth of trade was spent worldwide via the Internet, with the Philippines as the fifth fastest growing online shoppers with the fast smartphone penetration in the local market. pna