Consumer complaints about real estate, automobiles, computers
and telecommunications products and services are on the rise,
consumer protection advocates have said.
"Though the number of consumer complaints has declined in the
first six months year on year, the number of complaints about
houses and automobiles are rising, and they are getting more
complicated," Wu Hangao, deputy secretary-general of All China
Association of Consumers, said.
Brokers for major real estate projects have been known to over
exaggerate the products on offer, leaving purchasers angry and
disappointed when they discover the house they have bought is of
low construction quality.
Other complaints include poor property management services,
contract violations and instances where the release of property
ownership certificates have been postponed.
In one case, more than 200 households from one community in
Huhhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, complained
about the developer for refusing to hand out their property
ownership certificates, since their settlement in 2000.
Moreover, instances of extreme hyperbole and fraud have been
uncovered in television advertisements, some involving high-profile
celebrities who have acted as the product's spokespersons.
In March, crosstalk performer Guo Degang was involved in a
scandal when a weight-loss tea he promoted was found to be
ineffective.
Wu made the remarks yesterday during the official launch of
"Good Faith Prospering Commerce Publicity Month", a national
campaign involving 15 ministerial-level departments.
Events promoting "good faith commerce" will be held starting
from next week, including a high-level forum in Shanghai on
Tuesday, and a press conference on September 13 on the progress
made in credit system construction among different industries.
Price supervision departments will keep a close eye on festival
markets as the Moon Festival and National Day, two important
Chinese holidays, draw near; customs will publicize import and
export companies in appearing on the black and red lists in 2006;
and industry and commerce departments will expose a number of fake,
illegal advertisements.
To further strike at commercial swindle and defend customer
rights, the ministries, headed by the Ministry of Commerce, has
established an anti-commercial fraud website: www.antifraud.gov.cn.
"All consumers who feel cheated can submit their complaints on
the website, and we will transfer the information to the relevant
government departments, or provide necessary legal suggestions,"
Wen Zaixing, an official with the commerce ministry, said.
Departments involved must respond to complaints within 10
days.
(China Daily August 31, 2007)