[File Photo]

The Consumer Council of Fiji has raised concerns about trading operators who continue to scam their customers.

Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil, says they have received over 415 complaints in the last two years with a monetary value of more than $135,000.

“What we have seen is that they are the presence of a lot of fly-by-night traders who receive the payments but do not provide the services or products that they promise to provide, or they just disappear with the money they receive.”

Shandil says online transactions remain an issue for many consumers.

[Consumer Council Chief Executive Seema Shandil]

The nature of complaints received by the council includes poor delivery service, failure to provide relevant updates, evading customer phone calls and unwarranted delays.

The council has advised consumers to diligently research online businesses, especially those operating through social media, to avoid falling victim to scams.