The Consumer Protection and Combating Commercial Fraud

The Consumer Protection and Combating Commercial Fraud Department is responsible for:

Implementing legislation to combat commercial fraud and protect the rights of consumers.
Implementing policies that promote consumer protection.
Combatting commercial fraud.
Collaboration with consumer protection associations and civil society organisations.
Collaborating with authorities to ensure products comply with standards and regulations
Inspection of shops, stores and factories that sell, store or manufacture goods, ensure compliance with standards and regulations. When required convict violators.
Receiving and responding to consumer complaints.
Promoting consumer awareness.
Creating public awareness and communications campaigns that keep consumers safe and informed.
Building and maintaining ministerial databases.

The Consumer Protection and Combating Commercial Fraud Department has five divisions:

1. Combating Commercial Fraud Section is responsible for:

Implementing legislation to combat commercial fraud and protect the rights of consumers.
Take necessary actions to combat commercial fraud.
Receiving and reviewing commercial fraud complaints.
Inspection of shops, stores and factories that sell, store or manufacture goods and monitor records. When required convict violators.
Sampling suspected goods on the market to guarantee safety and compliance.
Supervise samples storing and analysis of potentially harmful goods.
Preventing fraud by collaborating with authorities and retailers.
Receiving and responding to consumer complaints.

2. Services Control Section, is responsible for:

Implementing policies to combat commercial fraud and protect consumers.
Monitoring the quality of services presented to consumers customer service according to the applicable laws and regulations.
Receiving and responding to consumer complaints.
Ensuring vendors issue legally valid warranties.
Verifying warranties issued by retail outlets and manufacturing facilities to ensure they are legal.
Develop contract templates related to consumer services.
Inspection of shops, stores and factories and monitor their records.

3. Consumer Awareness Section is responsible for:

Promoting consumer awareness among the general public.
Organising activities and events focusing on consumer affairs.
Creating public awareness and communications campaigns that keep consumers safe and informed.
Raising awareness of illegal consumer activities.
Collaborating with consumer protection associations and civil society organisations.
Keeping the Ministry’s website up-to-date with the latest information for consumers.
Highlighting key milestones and activities in the consumer affairs sector.

4. Faulty and Harmful products Section is responsible for:

Implementing policies to combat commercial fraud and protect consumers.
Recalling harmful or defected products as per the applicable laws and regulations.
Removing faulty products from the market.
Investigating and identifying claims of faulty or harmful products in suspected locations.
Helping ensure faulty products are replaced where possible.

5. The Consumer Affairs Research Section is responsible for:

Populating an integrated consumer database with information from opinion polls, surveys and questionnaires.
Conducting research and publishing important findings related to consumers in collaboration with government, academic and scientific organisations.
Making recommendations to increase customer satisfaction based on regional and international changes.
Collecting relevant scientific, technical, economic and legal information and coordinate with the relevant authorities to make use of it.
Improving consumer rights by building a collaborative network of consumer affairs organisations, exchanging available data, and conducting joint research.