The Indian government has launched a formal investigation into e-commerce platforms accused of imposing extra fees on Cash-on-Delivery (COD) orders, a move prompted by mounting consumer complaints and viral social media posts.

The controversy erupted after a user posted on social media that Flipkart charged an additional ₹226 under ambiguous labels such as “offer handling fee,” “payment handling fee,” and “protect promise fee.”  These hidden charges have been flagged by the Consumer Affairs Ministry as “dark patterns” — deceptive pricing techniques that mislead customers.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi confirmed that the Department of Consumer Affairs has received numerous complaints alleging these practices exploit and mislead users.  Authorities are scrutinizing whether such fees violate consumer protection laws and constitute unfair trade practices.

While many platforms promote digital payments, COD remains a widely used option, especially among customers who prefer paying on receipt.  Adding surcharges for opting COD can disproportionately impact such users, critics argue.