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Govt prepares to crack down on all types of business cheats
Authorities are set to crackdown on trade fraud with a new regulation aimed at fighting businesses that cheat consumers with inaccurate measuring devices such as weights at food markets and pumps at petrol stations.
The new regulation, to be enforced from July 31, will increase fines for businesses found to be cheating customers with rigged meters and measuring devices.
The practice of cheating customers with inaccurate measuring devices, such as rigged meters in taxis, is a common threat to consumers. An investigation into the matter last September by the Ministry of Science and Technology found that 17 per cent of petrol stations nationwide were cheating consumers with inaccurate measurement devices.
According to the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, sellers at local markets are often accused of cheating buyers with rigged scales, just one of many ways that sellers can cheat buyers.
The directorate has launched a trial project at markets in Lam Dong Province to limit trade fraud. Standard scales used for cross-checking were made available at 12 centre markets across the province. Initial reports say that inaccurate measurements have dropped significantly at these markets.
The new regulation also targets producers of faulty measuring devices and introduces fines of VND7 million to 12 million (US$390 to $670) for manufacturers of measurement devices that are producing models that haven’t been licensed. In addition, any manufacturers illegally altering their products will face fines of between VND15 million to 20 million ($843 to $1,120).
Fines targeting violations of quality and measurement standards in production of measurement devices vary considerably, ranging from VND200,000 to VND25 million. Those found to be breaking the regulation may be forced to pay damages and have their goods confiscated.
Fines have also been raised for a range of other trade fraud violations. Exporters or importers of goods failing to meet relevant technical requirements are also classed as committing violations of quality and measurement standards, and these offences face a maximum fine of VND30 million. Importers who are unable to prove standards applied to their imports will also be subjected to a VND200,000 fine.
Domestic producers will have to pay VND1 million if they don’t label their goods in Vietnamese. Sellers of goods with torn and unclear labels or edited labels face fines of VND2 million.
For any individuals and organisations using the 893 European Article Number (EAN) bar code of Viet Nam without a licence will be fined up to VND6 million.
Consumers can report any suspected violations to their local Consumer Protection Association or Department of Science and Technology.
However, public awareness on the issue needs to be raised, as most consumers say they don’t know where to turn to when they are victims of trade fraud.
Ha Noi resident Nguyen Phuong Lan said she had to be on the defensive when shopping, as authorities were sometimes slow to help out consumers who feel cheated.
"I usually re-weigh things at nearby shops," said Lan. "If something is wrong, sometimes I let it go, but sometimes I return to the shop and demand to be compensated.
"If you report the case to any authority, you will receive only silence."
Dang Hai Yen, a HCM City resident and a frequent shopper at Truong Dinh Market in District 1, said supermarkets who are offer more peace of mind to shoppers worried about being cheated.
"Being cheated makes me feel quite annoyed, so I prefer to shop at supermarkets rather than at traditional markets," said Yen.
Recently, more and more consumers have been relying on the media to stick up for their rights. According to Nguyen Viet Dung, a reporter who writes about consumer issues for the VTC News E-newspaper, violators are often more receptive to consumer complaints when the offending businesses are named in the media.
"The violators are afraid that widespread publicity on their violations will bring a bad reputation, resulting in a large fall in profits," said Dung.
VietNamNet, VIETNAMNEWS
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