The Ministry of Commerce has blocked three foreign websites after receiving complaints and reports from consumers. These sites used to offer products and marketing them through the social media with unreal and delusive prices, as well as they do not put correct communication data that would enable the buyers to communicate with the e-stores. This is considered a kind of fraud and misleading towards the consumers and it is a clear violation to the provisions of e-Commerce and online advertisements.
Notably, the Ministry of Commerce is in charge of implementing the provisions of the recently issued E-Commerce System, as part of its role and competence to monitor and track the violating websites, so that to protect and preserve the rights of consumers against any kind of fraud or counterfeiting practices. Therefore, any violating websites are stopped and blocked immediately in coordination with the concerned authorities and after referring the case to the committee specialized in considering e-commerce violations.
The Ministry of Commerce would like to warn the consumers against purchasing from unknown websites or accounts on the social media, instead they should buy from e- stores, accounts and pages that have commercial registrations, or those registered under “Maroof” e-service, or through the internationally known sites. This is to ensure and preserve the consumers’ rights.
The Ministry of Commerce would like to confirm its ongoing commitment to follow-up the implementation of e-commerce system. MC will not hesitate to impose the legal penalties against the violating e-stores. Meanwhile, MC urges the consumers and the public to lodge their complaints and reports through MC Consumer Call Center (1900), or through the application of a Commercial Violation Reports, or the via the Ministry’s website.