Vietnam strives to curb e-commerce fraud

Lục Tiên Khoa manages an e-commerce platform in Ho Chi Minh City. Due to his job, he usually purchases goods online. Although he always carefully checks the items that he wants to buy, Khoa sometimes feels unsatisfied with the service he receives.

Luc Tien Khoa, E-commerce Customer, Ho Chi Minh City said: E-commerce fraud can take many forms. For example, customers conduct their payments but don’t receive what they want or paid for. In such cases customers don’t know who they turn to when such incidents happen.

Despite the absence of management institutions, companies are taking an active role in protecting their customers. The SIL Management Group provides healthcare services from 500 service providers. The group has set a strict set of standards for their providers to meet in order to ensure service quality.

"Participating providers have to meet our company’s requirements in terms of quality, price, and customer service. When disputes happen, we will be the party that take the responsibility to deal with the customers", Trinh Khac Huy, CEO, SIL Management Group

Ministries are now starting to get involved in the effort. In a recent conference that took place in Ho Chi Minh City, representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that in the coming time, there will be policies to protect customers, especially in e-commerce.

Tran Huu Linh, Head, Department of E-Commerce, Ministry of Industry and Trade said: The ministry will establish specialist teams to better manage commercial transactions and information transfer to prevent potential fraud. In addition, there will be legal punishments for those that break the law.

E-commerce is expected to be a major consumer trend in the coming time. Therefore, a complete legal framework for e-commerce management is necessary to protect participating parties, especially customers.