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The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has urged members of the public to exercise caution when transacting with online businesses.
CCPC Senior Public Relations Officer, Florence Zaza, raised concern that unscrupulous individuals were exploiting digital platforms to engage in unfair trade practices and scams.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, Zaza said such practices included failure to supply products paid for, making false claims about products on offer, use of disclaimers, and imposing unfair contract terms.
She advised consumers to remain vigilant and watch out for red flags when shopping online.
These included sellers disabling comments or feedback sections, negative reviews about the seller or products, and the use of unverified or suspicious pages.
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“The public should also be on the look out for lack of a physical address or contact information for the seller, requests for personal information unrelated to the transactions, and hidden or ballooning costs and prices,” Zaza stated.
She added that insufficient product information, disclaimers that absolve the seller of all responsibility, and lack of an option for self-pick-up or location verification were also warning signs.
Zaza further warned individuals involved in online scams and unfair trade practices to desist, cautioning that the law would take its full course on offenders.
“The Commission remains committed to ensuring a safe and fair-trading environment for consumers in Zambia and urges the public to report any suspicious online business activities,” she said.
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