The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) has helped consumers receive refunds totaling Rs 52 crore in 31 sectors by addressing 79,521 refund-related grievances in the past nine months. These refunds were obtained before any legal action, providing timely relief to consumers without the need to approach Consumer Commissions. The e-commerce sector had the most complaints, leading to refunds exceeding Rs 36 crore, followed by the Travel & Tourism sector with over Rs 4 crore in refunds facilitated through the Helpline.
Cases in the e-commerce sector were reported nationwide, highlighting the broad accessibility of the National Consumer Helpline as a pan-India grievance platform. Notable instances of NCH’s effectiveness include resolving issues like repeated rescheduling of deliveries without refunds by e-commerce companies. In the auto sector, a consumer received a full refund for unresolved diagnostic problems with their vehicle, while another consumer got a refund for a premium paid for an insurance policy that was never issued.
Moreover, a customer who received incorrect items and reduced quantity from an online food delivery app, with no response from the company, successfully obtained a refund through NCH’s intervention. The National Consumer Helpline serves as a central platform for consumers to lodge complaints in 17 languages, offering various access points such as toll-free numbers, portals, apps, and email for grievance registration.
