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The short answer
For an online shopping fraud complaint about a wrong product or unpaid refund, write to the platform's grievance officer (who must resolve it within a month), then register with the National Consumer Helpline 1915, and finally file a consumer complaint on e-Jagriti in your own district. If you were cheated by a fake site or seller, call 1930 at once and report on cybercrime.gov.in.
Online shopping fraud complaint: first sort out what happened
An online shopping fraud complaint from Odisha goes to a different place depending on the problem. Before acting, put your case in one of two boxes:
| What happened | Nature | Main route |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong, fake, damaged or used product; refund promised but not paid; return refused; order cancelled with charges; hidden charges | Consumer dispute with a real seller or platform | Platform grievance officer, then National Consumer Helpline 1915, then the consumer commission on e-Jagriti |
| Fake website or social-media "shop", payment taken and nothing sent; fake customer-care number; refund "processing" that asks for an OTP, PIN or screen-sharing app | Cyber fraud (cheating) | Call 1930 at once, report on cybercrime.gov.in, inform your bank |
If money has just left your account through a fraud, do the cyber steps first, because speed decides whether the money can be frozen. They are set out in cyber crime complaints in Odisha.
Step 1: e-commerce refund complaint to the platform
The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, made under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, apply to all e-commerce entities selling to consumers in India, including foreign platforms. Among other things:
- Every platform must appoint a grievance officer and display the officer's name and contact. The officer must acknowledge a complaint within 48 hours and resolve it within one month.
- Marketplaces must show the seller's name, address and customer care number, and on request give details needed to pursue a complaint against the seller.
- A platform may not charge a cancellation fee unless it bears similar charges when it cancels the order itself.
- Refunds must be processed within a reasonable time, and sellers cannot refuse to take back goods that are defective, deficient, delivered late or not as described.
- Fake reviews posted by sellers posing as buyers, and manipulation of prices, are prohibited.
So write to the grievance officer, not only to the chatbot. Give the order number, dates, amount, what is wrong and what you want, with photographs and an unboxing video if you have one. Save the ticket number and every reply.
Step 2: National Consumer Helpline 1915
If the platform does not resolve it within a month, or you want pressure sooner, register with the National Consumer Helpline of the Department of Consumer Affairs:
- Call 1915 or 1800 11 4000;
- WhatsApp or SMS 8800001915;
- online at consumerhelpline.gov.in, or through the NCH app or UMANG app.
The NCH forwards the grievance to the company through its "convergence" partners and tracks the response. It is free, and it is a pre-litigation step: it cannot pass a binding order, but many refund disputes end here. Keep the NCH docket number; it is useful evidence later.
Step 3: e-Jagriti e-commerce complaint before the consumer commission
If the refund or replacement still does not come, file a consumer complaint. Since 1 January 2025, complaints are filed on e-Jagriti, which replaced e-Daakhil.
- Which commission: the District Commission where you live or work, even if the company is in Bengaluru or abroad (Section 34 of the 2019 Act). For a buyer in Bhubaneswar, that is the Khordha District Commission.
- Time limit: two years from the cause of action.
- Fee: none where the price paid is up to ₹5 lakh.
- Against whom: name both the seller and the marketplace platform where the platform's own duties (display of seller details, grievance redress, refund) were breached.
- Relief: refund with interest, replacement, compensation for harassment, and costs.
Details of filing, fees and appeals are in how to file a consumer complaint in Odisha. Deceptive advertisements and "dark patterns" (such as false urgency, hidden costs added at checkout, or forced subscriptions) can also be reported to the Central Consumer Protection Authority, through the NCH.
Chargeback for card fraud and payment disputes
A chargeback is a request to your card-issuing bank to reverse a card payment because the goods never came, were not as described, or the charge was not authorised. Raise it through the bank's app, helpline or a written dispute form, quickly, because card networks set time windows for disputes. Attach the order, the seller's refusal and your complaint history. For UPI payments, raise a dispute in the UPI app and with your bank.
- A failed payment (money debited but order not placed): RBI rules require automatic reversal within fixed timelines, for example T+5 days for a UPI merchant payment without confirmation, with ₹100 per day compensation for delay.
- An unauthorised card or UPI debit: report to the bank at once. Under the RBI's 2017 rules your liability is zero for a third-party breach reported within three working days. Revised RBI directions issued in 2026 apply to transactions made on or after 1 January 2027 and allow five calendar days for such a report; check with your bank which rules cover your transaction. See bank complaints and the RBI Ombudsman if the bank does not act.
When it is a scam, not a dispute
Common patterns in Odisha include Instagram and Facebook "shops" selling at very low prices with advance payment only, fake helpline numbers found through search results for a well-known brand, "refund" calls asking you to install a remote-access app, and parcel or courier messages with payment links. Here:
- Call 1930 immediately and give the transaction details; then complete the report on cybercrime.gov.in.
- Inform your bank in writing and block the card or UPI.
- Keep screenshots of the page, profile, chats, payment confirmation and the UPI ID or account number used.
- Approach the cyber police station or your local police station for an FIR; cheating is punishable under Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (old Section 420 IPC), and identity-related online fraud under the IT Act. See how to file an FIR in Odisha.
Evidence checklist
- Order confirmation, invoice and payment proof (bank statement entry, UPI reference).
- Screenshots of the product page as listed, including price and return policy.
- Unboxing video or photographs of what arrived, and the packaging label.
- All chats and emails with the platform and seller, with ticket numbers.
- The NCH docket number and any reply received.
If you cannot afford representation, see free legal aid in Odisha. This area is described under consumer disputes.
Train and flight refunds, and mobile and broadband complaints, have their own routes: see Rail Madad and flight refund complaints and telecom and broadband complaints.
Frequently asked questions
How do I file an e-commerce refund complaint?
Write to the platform's grievance officer with the order number and evidence; the officer must acknowledge in 48 hours and resolve within a month. If that fails, register with NCH 1915 and then file before the District Consumer Commission on e-Jagriti.
What is the National Consumer Helpline number?
1915, or 1800 11 4000. You can also WhatsApp or SMS 8800001915, or register at consumerhelpline.gov.in or on the NCH or UMANG app.
Can I file an e-Jagriti complaint against Amazon or Flipkart from Odisha?
Yes. You can file before the District Commission where you live or work, whatever the company's location. No fee is payable where the price paid is up to ₹5 lakh.
How does a chargeback work for card fraud?
You ask your card-issuing bank to dispute the payment with the card network, on grounds such as non-delivery or an unauthorised charge. Raise it quickly with documents, because networks fix time windows for disputes.
I paid an Instagram seller who blocked me. What should I do?
Treat it as cyber fraud: call 1930, report on cybercrime.gov.in, inform your bank, and keep screenshots of the profile, chats and payment. A police complaint for cheating can follow.
Is cash on delivery covered by consumer law?
Yes. The Consumer Protection Act covers goods bought online however you pay, so a defective or wrong COD product can be taken to NCH and the consumer commission.
Official sources
- Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (Department of Consumer Affairs)
- National Consumer Helpline: contact channels
- e-Jagriti: online consumer complaint platform
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
- RBI: turnaround time and compensation for failed transactions
General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.