Over 17,500 complaints of fake goods on e-commerce sites since 2022: Govt

Union minister of state for consumer affairs B.L. Verma said calls to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) rose more than tenfold

New Delhi: Over 17,500 complaints of fake, duplicate, and counterfeit products sold on e-commerce platforms have been recorded since 2022, with the highest — 7,221 cases — reported in the first half of 2025, the union consumer affairs ministry told Parliament on Wednesday.

Union minister of state for consumer affairs B.L. Verma said refunds worth ₹1,454 crore were made to consumers by travel companies for flights cancelled during the lockdown. (Representative photo)

Responding to a question raised by Lok Sabha lawmaker Murari Lal Meena, union minister of state for consumer affairs B.L. Verma said calls to the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) rose more than tenfold — from 12,553 in December 2015 to 1,55,138 in December 2024 — with average monthly complaints surging from 37,062 in 2017 to 1,11,951 in 2024.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted 22 search and seizure operations at e-commerce-related warehouses across Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Odisha, and Maharashtra in 2024–25.

Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 2,335 grievances, followed by Maharashtra (1,832), Delhi (1,451), Rajasthan (1,267), and Karnataka (1,192), while Ladakh reported just one case — taking the total to 17,562.

Highlighting the Central Consumer Protection Authority’s (CCPA) role in curbing unfair trade practices, Verma said refunds worth ₹1,454 crore were made to consumers by travel companies for flights cancelled during the lockdown.

He added that 13,118 listings of car seat belt alarm stopper clips were removed from major e-commerce platforms on CCPA orders, as their sale compromised consumer safety by disabling seat belt alarms in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.