Ho Chi Minh City authorities warn of e-commerce sales scams

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are warning consumers about deceptive sales tactics used on e-commerce platforms and during livestreams. Fraudulent sellers frequently use high-pressure language such as ‘shocking discounts’, ‘clearance sales’, or ‘order within 30 seconds’ to create a sense of urgency, preventing buyers from verifying product origins or quality.

During a recent seminar on product transparency, police officials noted that counterfeit goods are increasingly sophisticated, with fake packaging, logos, QR codes, and even certificates being used to mislead customers. Sellers may also exploit the reputation of influencers (KOLs and KOCs) to build false trust.

In the first eight months of the year, Ho Chi Minh City market surveillance authorities inspected and handled 826 cases involving counterfeit, smuggled, or unidentified goods on social media and e-commerce platforms. Over 220,000 products with a total value of nearly 19 billion VND were seized, with fines exceeding 8.5 billion VND.