Ten major topics for 2021 related to consumer affairs
Every year, NCAC publishes "ten major topics related to consumer affairs" of the year chosen out of the cases that drew significant public attention and/or resulted in a large number of consumer inquiries.
The year 2021 has been marked by COVID-19 related consumer problems (e.g. those related to "vaccination" and "stay home") and revision of the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions and the Act on the Deposit, etc. Transaction Agreements of Specified Commodities, etc.
Ten major topics for 2021 related to consumer affairs
- COVID-19 vaccine scams under the guise of prioritizing vaccination or offering vaccine booking service
- Online game problems during the stay home time: some children spend much money on online games without parental permission
- Consumer education before the age of adulthood will be lowered to 18
- Repeated child injuries such as burns, accidental swallowing and choking to death
- Elderly consumers in trouble: being induced to sell their houses, being charged for subscription unexpectedly
- Damage recovery: settlement for the first time after introducing Special Measures concerning Consumer Court Proceedings
- Revision of the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions and the Act on the Deposit, etc. Transaction Agreements of Specified Commodities, etc.: stronger measures against fraudulent subscription practices and negative option, prohibition of sales for deposit in principle
- Globalization of consumer problems: 10 years from the start of consultation for resolving cross-border consumer problems
- Consideration and planning of digitalization of consumer affairs consultation
- Launch of a multilingual website of Consumer Hotline for Tourists
