Insurance

When Your Online Order Goes Wrong and How to Win Every Time You click “Buy Now” with full confidence and wait for the product to arrive. Instead of what you paid for you might receive a different item a used product a damaged piece or in some cases a sealed box with something useless inside. Sometimes the seller stops responding completely and the platform keeps telling you to contact the same seller who has already vanished. When this happens most people feel helpless but the law gives you more power than you think. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 and the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 place strict responsibilities on every platform and seller involved in your online purchase. Who Is Responsible When an Online Order Goes Wrong Accountability is shared by three parties. The seller who lists the product the platform that hosts the listing and the manufacturer when the issue involves defects. Platforms can no longer escape responsibility by claiming that they only act as a marketplace. Under Section 2 clause 16 of the Consumer Protection Act 2019 read along with the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 they can be held jointly liable when a seller disappears delivers a fake item or refuses to issue a refund. Your Rights as an Online Consumer Every platform must present complete information before you place an order. This includes the country of origin full price with tax details the sellers full address the return policy and warranty terms. Fake or manipulated reviews are not allowed under Rule 6 sub rule 7 of the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020. If a delivery promise is made but missed without proper notice it counts as deficiency in service as covered by the Consumer Protection Act 2019. Any return refund or replacement policy shown at the moment you bought the item must be followed exactly. If the seller cannot be traced Rule 5 sub rule 6 of the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 makes the platform responsible for resolving your complaint. A Step by Step Plan to Get Your Money Back Start by registering a complaint within the platform and taking screenshots of the listing order details chats and the tracking page. If there is no proper response within forty eight hours email the Grievance Officer of the platform. Rule 5 sub rule 2 clause o of the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 requires every platform to display the name and email of this officer. Your email should state clearly that your complaint is being made under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. If the issue still remains unresolved after about a week contact the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 or file a complaint on consumerhelpline.gov.in. They will forward it to the company and give you a tracking number. If the platform still does not resolve the issue file a case at edaakhil.nic.in. For claims up to one crore rupees the District Consumer Commission in your city will handle the matter. Cases below five lakh rupees require no filing fee and you have two years to file. Most companies settle quickly once the complaint reaches the commission because they prefer to avoid an official order against them. Recent Cases Where Consumers Won In Delhi in 2024 a customer ordered an iPhone 15 Pro but received an iPhone 13. The District Commission ordered a full refund compensation of ten thousand rupees and fined Amazon twenty five thousand rupees. In Bangalore in 2025 Flipkart was directed to pay more than ninety eight thousand rupees after delivering a used laptop instead of a new one. In another case a Meesho seller took one lakh twenty thousand rupees for furniture and disappeared. The National Commission held the platform liable because the sellers details were fake and ordered a full refund. The One Sentence That Makes Companies Respond Fast Include this line in every complaint “I am filing this complaint under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice.” This shows that you know your rights and companies take such complaints seriously. The Bottom Line Online shopping sometimes goes wrong but you are not powerless. The Consumer Protection Act 2019 and the Consumer Protection E Commerce Rules 2020 are designed to protect you and make platforms accountable. When you follow the right steps results come quickly. If your order is wrong fake delayed or missing do not depend on scripted replies from customer care. Take action and your refund or replacement will follow. File at edaakhil.nic.inFor free help call 1915

How to Protect Yourself and Recover Losses in India When You Face Insurance Fraud Insurance fraud is rising across India. It affects policyholders who deal with fake agents, misleading policy pitches, forged documents, false promises or incorrect claim denials. Many people believe that if they were cheated without a written agreement or without proper paperwork from the agent, nothing can be done legally. That belief is incorrect. Indian law recognises insurance fraud as a serious offence. Courts, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India and consumer commissions handle such cases regularly and provide clear remedies to victims. Is Insurance Fraud Without a Written Contract Legally Actionable in India Yes, insurance fraud is legally actionable even when there is no written proof from the agent or the salesperson. Courts in India have repeatedly held that A fraud does not require a formal document to be proved Oral promises made by agents or representatives can be considered A misleading policy sale or false representation is a legally punishable act What matters is the intention to deceive. If an agent or insurer misrepresented facts, promised incorrect benefits, issued a fake policy or induced you to pay money based on false information, you have a legal right to recover your money and claim compensation. Which Laws Apply When Someone Commits Insurance Fraud Two major laws apply in these cases. A. Consumer Protection Act 2019 This law protects policyholders from unfair trade practices, cheating, mis selling and false promises by insurers and agents. You can file a complaint before District, State or National Consumer Commissions. You can claim Refund of the premium Compensation for harassment Litigation costs Interest And an order directing the insurer to provide the correct policy benefits   B. Indian Penal Code 1860  If the fraud is severe, you may also file a criminal complaint for cheating and criminal breach of trust.  Sections commonly used include  Section 420 Cheating  Section 406 Criminal breach of trust  Section 468 Forgery  Section 471 Using forged documents   This allows the police to investigate and take action against fake agents or fraudulent middlemen. C. IRDAI Regulations IRDAI requires insurers and their agents to follow strict sales guidelines. Any violation such as misrepresentation false benefits or issuing policies without consent can be escalated to IRDAI through its grievance system. What You Should Do When You Face Insurance Fraud Even if you do not have a written agreement, Indian law gives you a clear step-by-step remedy. Below is the process that authorities and courts expect you to follow. Step 1. Collect Evidence That Fraud Took Place You do not need a written policy document to prove fraud. Any proof that money was taken or that false promises were made is enough. The following items are accepted as evidence  Bank transfer or UPI proof of premium payment  WhatsApp chats with the agent SMS or email conversations  Audio recordings of conversations, if they were not secretly or illegally obtained  Screenshots of marketing messages or policy illustrations Under the Indian Evidence Act 1872, electronic records are admissible in court and treated as valid evidence. Even small evidence, such as a simple WhatsApp message promising a benefit, is enough to establish mis-selling or fraud. Step 2. Send a Legal Notice The next step is to send a formal legal notice to the insurer and the agent. Although not mandatory, a legal notice is strongly recommended because it Creates a written record Warns the company that you will take legal action Often results in immediate resolution Shows the court that you attempted a peaceful settlement. A notice typically gives the insurer seven to fifteen days to refund the money or correct the fraudulent policy sale. A lawyer should draft the notice carefully because it becomes part of the official court record. Step 3. File a Complaint in Consumer Court Under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 If the insurer fails to resolve the issue, the next remedy is to file a consumer complaint. Where can you file the case You can file the suit in a civil court in the place: The place where you live The place where you purchased the policy The place where the insurer or agent operates What you can claim Refund of the full premium Compensation for mental harassment Interest on the amount Costs of litigation Directions to issue the correct policy if you still want coverage Action against the agent for mis-selling   Step 4. Option to File a Police Complaint for Cheating If you were given a fake policy or the agent disappeared after taking money, you may file a police complaint under Sections 420, 406, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. A criminal case puts strong pressure on the offenders and often leads to faster recovery of money. Step 5. Escalate the Complaint to IRDAI IRDAI monitors insurers and can order them to take corrective action. You may file a complaint on the IRDAI grievance portal  The insurer delays The insurer does not respond properly The agent violated IRDAI guidelines The mis selling was intentional The mis selling was intentional Conclusion Insurance fraud is not just unethical but fully illegal in India. Even without a written agreement, you are protected under several strong Indian laws. The Consumer Protection Act allows refunds and compensation. The Indian Penal Code allows criminal action. IRDAI regulations ensure insurers cannot mislead or cheat policyholders without facing consequences. If you act quickly and follow the step-by-step legal process, you can recover your money, report the fraud and prevent future victims.