In Cambodia, online shopping – typically on smartphones and tablets – is becoming increasingly popular due to its convenience. However, this presents significant issues for less technologically savvy buyers, who may be more vulnerable to scams, especially when shopping on social media.
On April 27, Ouk Chhaivan, a citizen in Chi Kreng District of Siem Reap province, was asked to transfer payment for the purchase of two battery-powered bicycles via the Wing Transfer Money agency.
The sellers told her that they had only 10 bicycles left, and that she would have to make payment by 3:30 p.m. the same day or she could not have the bicycles. She paid them accordingly.
“They said they will send me the bicycles after the transfer. From that day until now, I have not received the two bicycles. They have even blocked my Facebook account and I can no longer contact them by phone,” Chhaivan said.
She shared on her Facebook profile that she had been scammed, identifying the Facebook business page. She said that many people commented and criticized her, while some encouraged her to file the complaint to the relevant authorities.
Yuth Somaly, a citizen of Kampong Thom province, told CamboJA that she also likes to shop online because it helps her save time. She shops online at least monthly, and mostly buys items like books, clothes, bags, creams, and lotions.
However, she said she has been cheated of her money three times. She explained that sometimes, what she received did not match what she ordered or expected.
Sometimes the product was in the wrong size, for instance, and when she contacted the online sellers, they didn’t respond and she never heard back from them. Another time, after she had transferred money to the sellers for a purchase made via Facebook, the sellers blocked her on Facebook.
“As I have observed, the type of person who cheats is trying to get us to turn the money around quickly so that the goods will be delivered immediately,” Somaly said. “But finally the package does not arrive.”
When asked what recourse she has to her predicament, she said she could only rely on a relevant ministry or the Department of Crime to look into the matter. She had wanted to sue the seller, but she was unable to find out who to sue as she was blocked by the seller’s Facebook business page.
CamboJA contacted Chea Pov, director of the Anti Cyber Crime Department under the Ministry of Interior, but he declined to provide any information about cyber crimes in Cambodia.
CamboJA also contacted Chhay Kim Khoeun, the spokesperson of National Police, but he said such matters fall under the responsibility of the Anti Cyber Crime Department.
CamboJA was also unable to reach the spokesperson of the Interior Ministry, Khieu Sopheak.
Nget Moses, a digital security consultant, told CamboJA that the increasing number of people purchasing goods and services online are also beginning to sign on to online subscriptions – such as purchasing travel services and ordering goods from abroad to sell in Cambodia.
He said that this grew significantly during the pandemic, since people were unable to meet or go out to buy food, clothes, and other supplies. Instead, they purchased them to be delivered.
However, he observed that despite the increase in online shopping, Cambodians were not yet familiar enough with the technologies of digital marketing, which may cause problems for both sellers and buyers.
“New technologies and e-commerce arrive faster than sellers’ and buyers’ understanding, causing online buyers and merchants in our country to be unprepared,” he said. “They have to sell, buy, and learn how to use the digital platform at the same time.”
According to Statcounter Global Stats, of all Cambodian social media users from April 2021 to April 2022: 47.56% were Facebook users, 27.28% YouTube users, 8.59% Pinterest users, 3.94% Instagram users, and 2.64% of Reddit users.
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