Consumer watchdog raps Courts and Prism+ for misleading shoppers with unfair practices

“Under Singapore’s fair trading laws, it is an unfair trade practice for businesses to charge for the supply of unsolicited products, or to make false or misleading claims to pressure consumers into making purchases,” CCS said on Monday.

“Countdown timers should only reflect genuine timelines given to consumers, while stock indicators should be reasonable.”

The commission also advised consumers to review their shopping carts for unexpected items when shopping online and verify that payment amounts match intended purchases.

Customers should also question the authenticity of urgency claims before making impulse purchases.

“These two interventions form part of a series of recent enforcement actions taken by CCS against businesses that employ dark patterns to mislead and pressure consumers into unintended purchases,” said CCS chief executive Alvin Koh. 

“CCS remains committed to ensuring fair, transparent and honest business practices in the digital space, enabling genuine competition amongst suppliers while empowering consumers to make informed decisions.”