Amazon told to refund Rs 40,000 for inaction despite fraud alert
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed Amazon Retail India Pvt. Ltd. to refund Rs 40,325 to a city resident for not taking prompt action on repeated requests to stop a transaction carried out by fraudsters. The commission has also directed it to pay Rs 10,000 to the complainant as compensation for causing mental agony and harassment and Rs 8,000 as cost of litigation.
Samita Das, a resident of Sector 12, Chandigarh, in the complaint filed before the commission said her mobile phone, email ID and credit card were hacked and misused by fraudsters on September 19, 2023, and orders were placed online from Amazon.
She said that initially apprehending suspicious activity, the orders were cancelled and she was informed vide email. However, certain other orders placed by the fraudsters thereafter were entertained by the company without verifying the credentials and a demand was raised against her Amazon Pay Later Account. Subsequently, the orders were cancelled and refund was assured by Amazon, but till date the amount has not been refunded, she said.
On the other hand, Amazon Retail India Pvt Ltd and Amazon Pay Later denied the allegations. They said that proper and efficient assistance was provided to the complainant against the cancelled orders.
After hearing the arguments the commission said that it was in the knowledge of the company that someone was attempting to reset the password of the account of the complainant. Not only this, even via another email it was informed to the complainant that an unauthorised person had accessed her account and attempted to place an order.
The commission said the company did not properly handle the situation, delayed prompt action on the complaint and ignored the complainant’s repeated requests, forcing her to file the case.
