Chandigarh, October 23, 2024: The Consumer Commission has penalized Amazon Retail India Pvt Ltd for negligence in service, imposing a total fine of ₹18,000 and ordering the company to refund ₹40,325 with 9% annual interest.
The ruling comes after a complaint regarding the sale of a hacked smartphone, showing serious lapses in Amazon’s delivery and customer service protocols.
The commission’s decision ruled that Amazon must ensure thorough checks of products by its collection agents before delivery. The fine includes ₹10,000 awarded to the complainant, Smita, a Sector-12 resident, for mental anguish and distress, alongside ₹8,000 covering case costs.
According to reports, Smita purchased the smartphone from Amazon’s website, but soon discovered her device had been hacked. In September 2023, fraudsters compromised her Amazon account, credit card, and email, leading to unauthorized transactions. Despite reporting the suspicious activity to Amazon, the company failed to take timely action, resulting in significant financial loss for Smita.
The commission’s ruling serves as a reminder to online platforms to prioritize customer security and implement stringent checks to prevent such incidents in the future.
