The General Department of Consumer Protection, Competition and Fraud Repression (CCF) has warned that it will take action against businesses that make untrue advertisements, mislead or cheat customers. Procedural action will be taken in March.
The warning came after representatives from 21 of 27 companies that offer “lucky prizes” or “rewards” to consumers for purchasing their products met with CCF deputy director-general Dim Theng about their advertisements.
“The meeting was held at the CCF headquarters with the participation of company representatives who were invited so that we could explain how the law would be implemented. CCF will take action against any company or business which runs advertisements that might mislead or cheat consumers,” CCF said in a Facebook post.
CCF director-general Phan Oun told The Post on February 9 that the 21 companies which attended the meeting had not necessarily been found to have been involved in the offences, noting that the meeting was the final one before the law was put into effect.
“We met them three times in 2021 to inform them that we had noted they ran advertisements that promised [lucky] prizes. They have all signed reference documents that guarantee real prizes. The use of misleading claims is deemed an act of dishonesty under the law, and we will issue fines to any company that breaches these laws,” he said.
He added that CCF would begin enforcing fines for dishonest business practices across the country in March.
“We hope that companies which use these [misleading] advertisements will follow the law and create honest advertisements for comsumers,” he said.
