Govt Orders Probe Into E-Commerce PlatformsCurated By :News18.comLast Updated: October 03, 2025, 22:05 ISTConsumer Affairs Ministry e-commerce platforms for extra CoD fees, calling them dark patterns and promising strict action. In November 2023, the Consumer Affairs Department officially classified 13 such tactics as dark patterns. (Representational)The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has initiated a probe into complaints against e-commerce platforms charging additional fees for cash-on-delivery (CoD), a practice classified as a “dark pattern" that misleads and exploits consumers. Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that steps are being taken to scrutinise these platforms closely. The charges included ‘Offer Handling Fee,’ ‘Payment Handling Fee’ and ‘Protect Promise Fee.’The charges levied were Rs 99 for the offer Handling Fee, Rs 48 for the payment handling fee, and Rs 79 for the protect promise Fee, totalling Rs 226 on a Rs 24,999 discounted item.