Muscat: As part of its efforts to ensure a safer market, the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA) has stepped up measures to combat commercial fraud. In an interview, a senior official at the Authority told the Observer that laws were being reviewed to increase the penalty applicable on the violators.
“The law in the Sultanate of Oman prevents frauds of all kinds in the market. Laws will be reviewed to ensure a fair market for consumers,” said Khalid Ali al Rashdi, Communication & Media Director at Consumer Protection Authority.
He said that the CPA had already launched a campaign to create awareness among consumers about their rights and identify counterfeit products on the market.
“Commercial fraud is an international issue which takes place in different ways. The Consumer Protection Law in Oman is clear as there is zero-tolerance if the law is violated”, he said.
The unified GCC Anti-Commercial Fraud Law, which was rolled out last year through Royal Decree No.56/2021, will help to combat commercial fraud in the region, he said.
“This will strengthen the legal system to protect the Sultanate of Oman’s markets from harmful practices and provide more protection to them”, he said.
The law has a lot of balance in the process of trading goods at all stages and provides the necessary protection for the consumer and the merchant and the Omani market as a whole, he said.
According to him, under the new law, fraudsters will face a penalty between RO 10,000 and RO 100,000 depending on the size of the fraud.
If the offence is repeated, the penalty will be doubled, Al Rashdi said. “We have seen many forms of commercial fraud, and to make sure we are able to stop such practices, we jointly operate with other authorities to stop the sale of fraudulent goods.
The Consumer Protection Authority will release a programme which will cover all the regions of Oman in a time of eight weeks to give the consumer different awareness and experience in which they will be able to differentiate between original and fake products.
Al Rashdi revealed that CPA would launch a campaign in accordance with an innovative media plan next week to increase awareness about the unified law, acquainting consumers and traders with the commercial practices that are considered commercial fraud.
He said the department mainly focuses on the idea that consumer awareness is the first line of defence for consumer rights.
“The Authority pays great attention to raise awareness about the dangers of commercial fraud by organising this campaign and other upcoming campaigns, all of which deal with commercial fraud and other practices that endanger the health and safety of the consumers”, he added.
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