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By:

Bhaskar Nath Biswal

13 May 2026 at 8:30:30 pm

E-Commerce’s Hidden Threat

The modern Indian marketplace no longer echoes exclusively with the chaotic bustle of traditional bazaars. Instead, it thrives within the silent, instantaneous clicks of smartphone screens. From monthly groceries to high-end electronics, digital retail has fundamentally altered how households across the country consume goods. This transition has undoubtedly unleashed unprecedented convenience, democratizing access to products for millions living outside metro cities. However, this...

E-Commerce’s Hidden Threat

The modern Indian marketplace no longer echoes exclusively with the chaotic bustle of traditional bazaars. Instead, it thrives within the silent, instantaneous clicks of smartphone screens. From monthly groceries to high-end electronics, digital retail has fundamentally altered how households across the country consume goods. This transition has undoubtedly unleashed unprecedented convenience, democratizing access to products for millions living outside metro cities. However, this hyper-connected landscape has also exposed a deeply troubling reality. As digital storefronts expand, so does the shadowy ecosystem of cybercriminals eager to exploit the trust and vulnerabilities of unsuspecting shoppers. The digital transaction, once celebrated as a triumph of modern engineering, is increasingly fraught with unseen hazards. Protecting consumers from e-shopping fraud has now become an urgent national imperative. Fraud Surge The sheer scale of India’s e-commerce revolution provides vital context for why online shopping has become such a high-stakes arena. Recent market estimates indicate that India’s e-commerce economy has surged well beyond $140 billion, driven by over 300 million active digital shoppers. Projections show this user base rapidly swelling toward 400 million, largely fuelled by deep internet penetration, affordable smart phones and seamless payment infrastructure like the Unified Payments Interface across Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Yet, this remarkable surge in commercial volume has been mirrored by an equally dramatic escalation in cybercrime statistics. Official records from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal reveal that citizens have filed over 3.8 million cyber fraud complaints, representing staggering financial losses exceeding Rs. 36,000 crore, with a significant portion stemming from fraudulent online retail schemes. Perhaps most alarming is the historical recovery rate, where less than one percent of stolen funds is successfully returned to victims once transactions cross cyber borders. Despite the pervasive presence of online threats, digital consumers frequently fall into predictable traps that expose them to severe risk. A primary misstep is the failure to maintain basic password hygiene, with millions of shoppers reusing weak or identical passwords across multiple e-commerce platforms and email accounts, enabling attackers to execute swift cascading breaches. Furthermore, shoppers frequently bypass critical verification steps in pursuit of speed, such as failing to verify whether a website domain uses secure, encrypted connections before typing in card credentials. Another widespread oversight is performing financial transactions over unsecured public Wi-Fi networks in cafes or transport hubs, which allows bad actors to intercept sensitive data packets in transit. Many consumers also neglect regular software updates on their smartphones, leaving unpatched security vulnerabilities wide open to malware. Above all, emotional urgency remains the greatest weakness. Impulsive buyers frequently ignore glaring red flags, such as suspicious payment requests or unverified seller profiles. Decoding Scams Recognizing that awareness is the frontline of defence, key industry players and digital safety advocates have begun taking structured action. A prominent example is the consumer handbook, ‘Your Guide to Safe Online Shopping’, developed by Safer Internet India and commissioned by Amazon. The initiative aims to demystify complex cyber security concepts and provide consumers with actionable, real-world tools to navigate the digital marketplace safely. The handbook shines a bright light on the most prevalent fraudulent tactics currently plaguing buyers. To combat these threats, the safety guide emphasizes a multi-layered approach to consumer protection. It urges shoppers to verify web addresses meticulously, refrain from sharing one-time passwords and avoid conducting transactions off authorized brand platforms. Equally important, the guide bridges the gap between technical vigilance and legal empowerment by outlining explicit consumer rights under Indian laws and detailing formal grievance redressal mechanisms. A sustainable defence against online shopping fraud requires an integrated, multi-stakeholder strategy that aligns consumer awareness, corporate accountability and robust law enforcement. E-commerce platforms must continue investing aggressively in advanced artificial intelligence tools to detect cloned websites, eliminate fake merchant accounts and intercept suspicious payment flows before they reach consumers. Concurrently, regulatory authorities and law enforcement agencies must strengthen real-time intervention frameworks, expanding initiatives like the 1930 cyber crime helpline and emergency account-freezing protocols to minimize financial damage when breaches happen. On the demand side, continuous public awareness campaigns, modelled after comprehensive handbooks, must reach deep into semi-urban and rural regions where first-time internet users are most susceptible to manipulation. Ultimately, building a safe digital shopping environment is about preserving trust. Only when digital literacy keeps pace with technological innovation can India truly reap the economic rewards of its e-commerce revolution without sacrificing the security of its citizens. (The writer is a former college Principal and Founder of Supporting Shoulders, an Odisha-based non-profit Trust. Views personal.)

Sibling Dominance

At the time of the general election in May this year, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the tussle between ruling Mahayuti allies – CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP - had been the fiercest over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. Both the BJP, by way of the Rane clan and Narayan Rane, and the Sena, in form of Kiran Samant, brother of minister Uday Samant, staking claim.

Kiran, had been eagerly vying for a ticket, was believed to be on the verge of rebellion and had even gone ‘out of range’ at one point. However, the Samant brothers had backed down and ultimately ceded the nomination to Narayan Rane, who won the Lok Sabha.

This time, it is Kiran who is the Assembly election fray from Rajapur, which is part of the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency.


The dominance of the Samant brothers in Ratnagiri has emerged as a pivotal force in Konkan’s political landscape ahead of Assembly polls. They are not just contenders but represent a burgeoning political dynasty in the verdant coastal belt.


The Samants’ ascent is rooted in their ability to engage effectively with the electorate and navigate the treacherous waters of coalition politics. Uday Samant, who is seeking re-election from the Ratnagiri Assembly seat for the fifth consecutive term, already wields significant influence as the state’s Industry Minister.


This, coupled with Kiran’s growing base and grassroots supporters, has ensconced the siblings in a uniquely dominant position throughout Ratnagiri, a constituency that has been a stronghold of the undivided Shiv Sena.


Ravindra Samant, the siblings’ father, was a prominent contractor. Uday entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly at just 26, winning two consecutive elections on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket before joining Shiv Sena in 2014. His appeal among Ratnagiri’s youth stems from his active engagement in local cultural and religious events, generous support for various causes, and advocacy for sports initiatives, all of which have helped him establish a strong political base in the region.


Uday’s hold over his constituency is said to be so formidable, that opposition parties are compelled to tread cautiously when selecting candidates to challenge him. As Industries minister, he will naturally be touting the investments brought by him during his tenure.


Likewise, though this is Kiran’s debut in the Assembly poll fray from the Rajapur Assembly segment, he can hardly be called a neophyte in politics. Kiran, a prominent figure within Ratnagiri’s government contractor lobby and a key enabler in employment generation in the Konkan, oversees development projects right from the Zilla level onwards. He has running campaigns in several elections.


Kiran’s local base makes him a formidable contender for three-term MLA, incumbent Rajan Salvi of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT).


Salvi, who has initially supported the controversial Nanar-Barsu refinery project, had later reversed his stance, raising questions about the potential repercussions of this shift in the coming contest. Then there is the question whether the Muslim community in Ratnagiri’s Sakhri Nate, which previously voted as a bloc for Uddhav Thackeray in the Lok Sabha elections, will do so this time as Kiran Samant, too, has effectively built a rapport among minorities. Ramdas Kadam, a prominent leader from the Shinde camp, who vocally protested against the BJP’s claim over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat, will throw his weight behind the Samant brothers as well.


As the election season heats up, all eyes will be on Ratnagiri, where the Samant brothers’ fortunes will not only impact their political ambitions but also signal the future trajectory of the Shiv Sena’s dominance in the Konkan.

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