Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday, said that the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) is looking into e-commerce companies like Flipkart and Amazon because they are accused of using “dark patterns,” which are deceptive user interface practices meant to trick and take advantage of customers. The complaints are mostly about platforms that charge extra costs, which are sometimes disguised, especially for the popular Cash-on-Delivery (CoD) payment option.
“The Department of Consumer Affairs has gotten complaints about e-commerce sites that charge more for Cash-on-Delivery. This is called a “dark pattern” because it tricks and takes advantage of customers,” Joshi said. He promised to closely watch the platforms and said, “Strict action will be taken against those who violate consumer rights to ensure transparency and uphold fair practices in India’s growing e-commerce sector.”
Viral Post Sparks Quick Action
A tweet on social media platform X (previously Twitter) that went popular and showed how unclear Flipkart’s charges were led to the government’s crackdown. The user’s post got a lot of attention, with over 134,000 views and more than 60 replies with identical screenshots. It contrasted the new levies to the “Rain Fee” that food delivery companies used to impose, which was also unpopular.
The user made a satirical comment about the charges, saying, “Forget Rain Fee by Zomato/Swiggy/Zepto.” Look at Flipkart’s genius move: Offer Handling Fee (for providing me the discount you promised?) • Payment Handling Fee (for allowing me pay you?) • Protect Promise Fee (what are you protecting me from? Satisfaction?) Next is the “Scrolling App Fee.”
The snapshot showed that there were an extra Rs 226 in fees on an item that was already on sale for Rs 24,999. These fees were Rs 99 for the Offer Handling Fee, Rs 48 for the Payment Handling Fee, and Rs 79 for the Protect Promise Fee. These last-minute changes at the checkout are a perfect example of “dark patterns,” which are dishonest ways to get people to buy things.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has received complaints against e-commerce platforms charging extra for Cash-on-Delivery, a practice classified as a dark pattern that misleads and exploits consumers.
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) October 3, 2025
A detailed investigation has been initiated and steps are being taken to… https://t.co/gEf5WClXJX
What do “dark patterns” mean?
Local Circle, a community platform, says that “dark patterns” are design tricks that use people’s psychological weaknesses to get them to do things they didn’t mean to do. These dishonest methods typically cause customers to pay more, get hidden fees, get stuck in subscription traps, and have a generally terrible time online. The most recent concerns about the CoD costs and unclear charges like “Handling Fees” fit this criterion perfectly.
Flipkart’s Last Self-Review
The probe is happening even though Flipkart has been trying to fix the problem. The Flipkart Group, which includes Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, and Cleartrip, said last month that it has finished an independent self-audit of its digital platforms.
The company stated in a statement that the audit was meant to make sure that it followed “the highest standards of compliance and accountability” and that its policies were in line with the Central Consumer Protection Authority’s (CCPA) advice on how to stop and control dark patterns.
Flipkart said that the Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare has received the full self-audit completion report. The group said it was committed to “fairness and transparency” for its customers and promised to keep working with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and all other partners to make consumer protection even stronger. The government, on the other hand, is obviously pushing forward with a formal investigation to check for compliance and deal with the growing number of complaints from customers.