What to do to fight commercial fraud in the digital environment?

Market Management Team No. 2 (Market Management Department of Da Nang City) suddenly inspected fashion stores in Hai Chau Ward. Photo: V.HOANG

“Fertile land” if not controlled

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tuan, Baker McKenzie International Law Firm, the increasing demand for e-commerce consumption in Vietnam has led to an increase in counterfeit goods trading and commercial fraud.

Currently, up to 90% of counterfeit and pirated goods are consumed and sold on e-commerce platforms or social networks. Not only selling counterfeit goods, these subjects are also sophisticated in creating fake websites, using social networks and AI tools to advertise and deceive consumers.

Worryingly, it is very difficult for ordinary consumers to distinguish between genuine and fake goods. Meanwhile, censorship and tracing of violations on e-commerce platforms today face many difficulties without cooperation from the e-commerce platforms themselves.

Mr. Hoang Ninh, Deputy Director of the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) also said that the strong development of e-commerce also has certain consequences. It is clear that counterfeit goods, fake goods, and goods that infringe intellectual property rights are very common in the e-commerce environment, especially on social networks. In particular, social networks are becoming "unofficial e-commerce platforms", where the trading of counterfeit goods, fake goods, and goods that infringe intellectual property rights commonly takes place.

Subjects take advantage of the anonymity and lack of control of the platform to create fake accounts, livestream to sell fake branded products, and swap the origin. Fast delivery and cash-on-delivery policies also inadvertently facilitate the consumption of smuggled and counterfeit goods.

According to the report of the National Steering Committee 389, in the first 6 months of 2025, functional forces nationwide inspected and handled 50,419 cases related to smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, down 21.45% over the same period last year.

In the peak month from May 15 to June 15 alone, the number of cases detected and handled reached 10,437. These figures show the drastic involvement of the authorities, and at the same time, pose an urgent need to deploy optimal solutions to improve the effectiveness of detecting and handling violations in the context of increasingly sophisticated and complex methods.

Market Management Team No. 2

Food and functional foods are groups of products that the city's market management force will increase inspection in the coming time. Photo: V.HOANG

Using AI to distinguish real and fake goods

In order to improve the effectiveness of the fight against counterfeit goods, goods infringing intellectual property rights and commercial fraud in the digital environment, many experts and authorities believe that it is necessary to promote the application of technological solutions, especially artificial intelligence (AI) and digital databases.

In Da Nang , the City Market Management Department (Department of Industry and Trade) has been implementing peak periods of inspection and handling of counterfeit goods, especially focusing on sensitive items such as medicine, functional foods, cosmetics...

In the first 6 months of 2025 (from December 15, 2024 to July 7, 2025), the authorities inspected 485 cases and handled 299 cases with a total administrative fine of more than 3 billion VND. In the peak month alone (from May 15 to June 15), the market management force inspected 147 cases, detected and handled 93 cases; the total amount of administrative fines and confiscated goods was nearly 1.6 billion VND.

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Son, Head of the Market Management Department of Da Nang City, in the coming time, the Department will strengthen the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin in the e-commerce environment.

In particular, focus on checking and controlling food groups, functional foods, etc.; strengthen online monitoring, invest resources and technology to review and monitor websites, e-commerce platforms, and social networks that show signs of trading in prohibited goods, smuggled goods, counterfeit goods, and goods of unknown origin.

At the same time, coordinate with e-commerce platforms to request the removal of violating booths and products, and request information on violators for handling. In addition, research new transaction methods to have appropriate professional measures for new forms of online business such as: livestream sales, sales through closed groups...

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The fight against counterfeit goods and trade fraud is not only the task of the authorities, but also requires the cooperation of the entire population. Currently, the Da Nang City Market Management Department is being assigned to build an artificial intelligence (AI) application to support the distinction between genuine and fake goods with the hope of helping consumers clearly identify the origin of products. This is also a solution that contributes to improving the effectiveness of monitoring and handling violations in the context of increasingly strong e-commerce development.
Mr. Pham Ngoc Son, Head of the Market Management Department of Da Nang City

Source: https://baodanang.vn/lam-gi-de-chong-gian-lan-thuong-mai-tren-moi-truong-so-3265331.html