Now, report fraudulent DSF offers
DUBAI ECONOMY INTENSIFIES INSPECTIONS ACROSS RETAIL OUTLETS
With the 25th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) under way, a senior official yesterday urged shoppers to report any misleading promotions or fraudulent practices to Dubai Economy.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection sector in Dubai Economy, said monitoring of commercial outlets has been intensified and shoppers should call 600 54 5555 if something is amiss.
Dubai Economy is also using an AI-based device to detect counterfeit goods.
As the Dubai Shopping Festival gets under way and retailers vie with each other to offer discounts, a top official yesterday urged shoppers to stay alert and report any misleading promotion or fraudulent practice to Dubai Economy.
Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of the Commercial Compliance & Consumer Protection (CCCP) sector in Dubai Economy, said monitoring of commercial outlets in the emirate had been intensified, particularly those announcing promotional offers and discounts as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival and New Year season. And should consumers come across something amiss, they should call 600 54 5555, he urged.
The 25th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, which began on December 26 and will run till February 1, is attracting a large number of shoppers as over 800 top brands are offering hard-to-beat discounts across 3,500 outlets. Discounts ranging from 25 to 75 per cent are also being offered on all kinds of buys.
Lootah said: “Retail being an integral economic activity in Dubai, we are keen to ensure the quality and authenticity of the promotions and discounts offered here by retailers and also see that consumers do not fall prey to unscrupulous practices.”
He said teams from CCCP follow up on all retail-related promotions and activities announced in Dubai and verify their compliance with the regulations of Dubai Economy.
“We make use of all conventional and online communication channels to ensure that the promotions are genuine and retailers do not violate the UAE Consumer Protection Law.”
The campaign seeks to protect the interests of consumers,
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■ both residents and tourists, by ensuring transparency and authenticity of the promotions and reinforcing Dubai as a preferred shopping destination locally and internationally.
Integrate AI
Teams from CCCP monitor market activity and inspect commercial establishments throughout the year and more so during promotional sales and festivals that witness a high volume of visitors to Dubai. The CCCP also uses a technology to
■ help detect counterfeit goods sold across shops in Dubai. It is being adopted in line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to integrate artificial intelligence in the pursuit of excellence across government services and as part of the strategic
How to lodge complaint? CALL 600 54 5555 if you suspect a fraud. objective of Dubai Economy to enhance competitiveness and sustainability through protecting the rights of consumers and trademark owners.
The AI-based device is linked to a vast database comprising thousands of microscopic images of branded goods, particularly leather products, watches and accessories as well as clothing.