Problems with online refunds? NCH helps citizens recover Rs 45 crore since April; e-commerce complaints top list

When five scheduled pickup requests were cancelled without explanation, Ramesh Kumar (name changed) approached the National Consumer Helpline. Months after ordering the furniture online, Kumar, the Jodhpur resident was still stuck with defective goods and no refund. Then his call to 1915, changed everything. Within days, government’s National Consumer Helpline stepped in and secured his money back.Thousands were stuck in a similar situation. Between April and December, the helpline resolved 67,265 consumer complaints and facilitated refunds worth Rs 45 crore, according to official data released on Saturday. “Thank you so much, Consumer Helpline, for helping cheated consumers like me,” he wrote after NCH intervened and secured a full refund within days.According to the data, e-commerce alone accounted for nearly 40,000 grievances and refunds worth Rs 32 crore, making up more than two-thirds of the total amount recovered. In Bengaluru, another consumer faced a prolonged struggle after paying for an annual internet plan. While the payment was deducted immediately, the promised connection never materialised. Customer care assured him that the refund would be processed within 10 working days. Four months later, after repeated calls, there was still no clarity. Once the National Consumer Helpline stepped in, the refund was issued almost immediately. “It was a good experience. Otherwise, it was difficult to get the amount back,” he said.Travel and tourism emerged as the next major sector, with refunds totalling Rs 3.5 crore. A similar intervention helped a consumer in Chennai who cancelled a flight ticket 96 hours before departure, well within the stipulated refund period. Despite repeated follow-ups, the airline failed to process the refund. “Thanks to NCH for the quick action. Am delighted by your efforts,” the consumer wrote. Unlike formal legal proceedings, the National Consumer Helpline operates at the pre-litigation stage. This allows disputes to be resolved without consumers having to approach Consumer Commissions under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, reducing both costs and delays, while also easing pressure on the judicial system. The helpline accepts complaints in 17 languages and is accessible through multiple channels, including a toll-free number (1915), WhatsApp (8800001915), SMS, email, a mobile app and a web portal. This has enabled consumers from metropolitan centres as well as remote regions to seek redress. Officials point to the expansion of convergence partners, companies and platforms that work directly with NCH to resolve complaints, as a key factor behind its improved outcomes in 2025. The approach reflects growing cooperation within India’s consumer protection framework. Five sectors: e-commerce, travel and tourism, agency services, electronic products and airlines, together contributed over 85% of the Rs 45 crore refunded during the year. These are also areas where individual consumers often lack the means to pursue prolonged disputes. The spread of complaints across Tier-1 cities and smaller towns highlights the helpline’s national reach and the extent to which digital commerce has penetrated less-connected regions. It also points to a growing willingness among consumers across India to assert their rights. Over the course of 2025, the National Consumer Helpline has moved beyond being just a government service, emerging instead as a key gateway for consumer grievance resolution before legal action becomes necessary.