TikTok Shop and KPDN Introduce #ShopSafe Tips to Help Prevent Online Shopping Scams in Malaysia

Malaysia’s trusted e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop, has partnered with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) to spread awareness on #ShopSafe tips for online scam prevention. #ShopSafe is part of a wider online scam awareness initiative by TikTok Shop to empower Malaysians through education.

YB Datuk Armizan bin Mohd Ali, Minister of KPDN, emphasised that: “We are delighted to partner with TikTok Shop to educate Malaysians on best practices when shopping online and to empower them with the right knowledge and tools to #ShopSafe digitally. We have found that a large majority of reported e-commerce scams were conducted outside of legitimate online shopping platforms and apps, where bad actors redirect consumers off-platform to complete transactions, either through phone numbers, suspicious links, or direct debits. TikTok Shop’s dedication to championing the rights and safety of consumers is commendable, and we look forward to combating online scams together.”

TikTok Shop Malaysia’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Nur Azre Abdul Aziz, echoed the sentiment: “Safety is our top priority at TikTok Shop. We continuously invest in people and technologies for Malaysians to enjoy worry-free and secure online shopping experiences, such as through our robust 15-Day Free Return and Refund Policies. In the first half of 2024, we proactively rejected 20.4 million attempted product listings and 2 million seller account registrations globally that did not meet our standards. Combatting online scams is a collaborative effort and we are immensely thankful to KPDN for their support in educating Malaysians on our #ShopSafe tips. Together, we can keep our community informed and up to date on new scam trends, along with ways to safeguard each other against it.”

The #ShopSafe tips introduced by TikTok Shop and KPDN include:

1. Avoid Off-Platform Purchases.

• • TikTok Shop users should conduct all online purchases using only the official app to ensure their protection against scams. TikTok Shop strictly enforces its Product Listing Guidelines and Seller Registration Guidelines, which help to prevent violative products and sellers on the platform. Policies such as the Platform Abuse Policy, Anti-Counterfeit Policy, and TikTok Shop Mall’s 100% Authenticity Guarantee actively detect and minimise any potential fraudulent activities and deceptive behaviours on the platform.
  • Users should ensure that all online transactions are conducted through TikTok Shop’s secure in-app payment gateways. All purchases can then be verified and tracked on the in-app order history, even when opting for Cash-On-Delivery (COD) transactions.
  • Users should not download TikTok’s apps via external links or APK files. Download TikTok’s apps (which are listed ‘by TikTok Pte. Ltd.’) via the official website (https://www.tiktok.com) and platforms, including the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Be wary of suspicious links and misspelt websites.
  • By adhering to these #ShopSafe tips, users can avoid common scams, such as false advertising, phishing, COD scams, brushing scams, malware, and more.

2. Never Share Sensitive Personal Information With Other People.

• Users can familiarise themselves with TikTok Shop’s Privacy Policy, which transparently outlines how TikTok Shop protects user data.
• Users should be vigilant and avoid disclosing sensitive personal information to other people, especially potential scammers pretending to be TikTok Shop employees, authorities, or government officials. TikTok Shop will never ask for users’ sensitive personal information, such as passwords, TACs, and debit/credit card details through direct messaging, phone calls, or emails.
• As an additional layer of protection, users should activate the 2-step verification feature on the TikTok app, which protects their accounts even when passwords are compromised.
• With these helpful tips, Malaysians can prevent themselves from falling victim to Macau scams, phone scams, account takeovers, and more.

3. Report Violative Behaviours In-App.

• Users are encouraged to directly report violative products, content, and sellers on TikTok Shop via the in-app reporting channel, available on every product display page.
• Users can also reach out to live agents in-app for enquiries about their TikTok Shop orders, via the Help Center page.
• TikTok Shop is governed by robust 15-Day Free Return and Refund Policies, which facilitate simplified and fair after-sales requests for customers facing issues with their orders on the platform. TikTok Shop does not tolerate any fraudulent or unlawful activities on its platform.

For more information on TikTok Shop Malaysia, please visit: https://www.tiktok.com/@tiktokshop_my

Also read: Malaysian Businesses More Than Doubled Their Growth on TikTok Shop During Ramadan and Raya