Huge Penalty from the Ministry of Commerce for Fake November Discounts!

The Ministry of Commerce declared war on “scammers” who turned the November discounts into an opportunity. It was decided to impose a total administrative fine of 19 million 616 thousand 776 lira within the scope of the control of advertisements and campaigns that mislead the consumer. Here are the details!

19 Million 616 Thousand 776 TL Fine from the Ministry of Commerce for Fake Discounts

At the Advertising Board meeting held on November 12, advertising and commercial practices that exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge and trust were discussed. It was determined that 151 of the 164 files examined were against the legislation. It was decided to impose an administrative fine as well as a suspension penalty for these files.

The Board also issued a precautionary suspension decision on 2 files due to incomplete information, and ordered an access ban on 29 files. The Ministry of Commerce did not allow unfair trade not only in November but also in the first 11 months of the year. During this period, suspension penalties were given in 1509 files, and a total administrative fine of 223 million 939 thousand 186 liras was imposed.

The Advertising Board made the following warnings to consumers during the period when November discounts were intense:

• Determine your needs correctly before shopping.
• Do preliminary research on the vendor or provider.
• Compare the price of the product you are considering buying with similar products.
• Examine the discount rates and amounts carefully.
• Check the reliability of the website you are shopping from and the accuracy of the address.
• Be sure to review elements such as SSL certificate and 3D security.
• Read the preliminary information sent to you in detail before making your payment.

The Ministry of Commerce continues to tighten its inspections due to increasing complaints, especially during discount periods. These decisions aim to both prevent harm to consumers and create a deterrent effect against unfair commercial practices. The duty of consumers is to shop consciously and report any negative situations they encounter to the Ministry of Commerce.