The Directorate General for Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has set up a committee to refund Tk 127 million of customers stuck with payment gateways after fraud was discovered on some e-commerce platforms during the pandemic.
The platform was offering deep discounts to lure unsuspecting customers into making upfront payments of hundreds of billions of taka.
In 2022, the central bank has identified 25 online sellers including Evaly, E-orange, Qcoom, Dhamaka, Aladinerprodip, Sirajganj Shop, Alesha Mart, Dalal Plus, and these sellers have lost customers in just 4 months. It earned a staggering Tk 605 billion through payment gateways. Bank.
Most of the customers who were scammed have not yet received their products or refunds.
The refund process for customers began in January 2022.
About Tk 470 million that was stuck at the payment gateway has already been returned, DNCRP director general AHM Shafiquzzaman told reporters at the directorate's headquarters yesterday.
He said a new committee would soon decide how to refund the remaining Tk 127 million after a review meeting on resolving complaints received against e-commerce companies.
“There is no trace of companies like E-Orange or Dhamaka Shopping,” he said, adding that Dhamaka laundered more than Tk 200 million abroad.
“That is why it is impossible for DNCRP to resolve the problems of such organizations,” he added.
Shafiqzzaman said most of the heads of these companies are fugitives currently living abroad.
He added that if they could be brought back through Interpol, part of the problem could be solved.
Speaking at the event, Mohammad Russell, CEO of controversial e-commerce platform Evaly, admitted that he had made many mistakes in the past.
“But after learning from them, I am back in business. Customers are now ordering again. About Tk 50 million has been refunded so far. The remaining amount will also be refunded.” He said.
