TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei consumer protection (台北市消保官) officer Yeh Chia-hao (葉家豪) responded on Thursday (March 4) to a recent incident in Taipei's Ximending (西門町) regarding potential fraudulent practices at a local souvenir shop. A South Korean tourist noticed an unexpected 500 New Taiwan dollar charge on their receipt, prompting the shop to swiftly apologize and issue a refund.
The tourist shared their experience on the social media platform Threads, warning fellow South Korean visitors about similar overcharging incidents at the shop. They also criticized the high prices and mentioned that their request for a full refund was denied. Yeh emphasized that businesses must operate honestly and ensure that the prices displayed match the amounts charged at checkout.
The Taipei City Government had also received a complaint from a foreign tourist in May of the previous year over inaccurate pricing at a souvenir shop. The complaint highlighted discrepancies between displayed and charged prices, such as items marked at 55 NTD being charged at 115 NTD. Google reviews suggested that this issue might not be isolated, leading to a consumer complaint.
Yeh advised consumers to verify receipts and transaction details before leaving a store to prevent disputes. He also noted that physical store transactions are not covered by the Consumer Protection Act's (消費者保護法) seven-day unconditional return policy, except for defects. He suggested that consumers report the matter to the police if they suspect intentional overcharging.