MAM
Online shopping scam victims down to 74%: Report
Mumbai: The number of online scams and frauds drastically increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a recent report revealed that the percentage of online shopping scam victims has come down to 74 per cent globally compared to 78 per cent in 2020.
Online retailers came across various fraud schemes in 2021. Among all the fraud schemes, “friendly fraud” scheme was by far the most prevalent. According to Banklesstimes.com analysis, the emergence of e-commerce during the pandemic increased the possibility of fraudulent activities. “About three-quarters of online traders globally have reported a net increase in fraud attempts since 2019,” said the report.
In a statement, Banlesstimes.com’s Jonathan Merry said, “The number of victims is reducing. The restoration of normalcy after Covid-19 might be a factor. Now, retailers are also cautious, thus making it difficult for fraudsters to pull off their scams.”
According to the data, the highest number of online fraud activities were recorded in Latin America and Asia-Pacific regions.
Because of the presence of online fraudsters, the need for online retailers to manage these attacks has never been greater. So far, more than nine out of ten businesses believe that combating E-commerce fraud is essential to their success.
Brands
Flipkart completes reverse flip to India ahead of IPO
Walmart-owned e-commerce giant shifts domicile from Singapore to Bengaluru
MUMBAI: Flipkart has completed its restructuring to move its parent company from Singapore back to India, marking a key milestone as the Walmart-owned marketplace prepares for a potential initial public offering on Indian stock exchanges, ET reported, citing people aware of the matter.
The move, often referred to as a “reverse flip”, relocates the company’s legal home to India and aligns its corporate structure more closely with its largest market. It also clears an important regulatory step for Flipkart as it explores listing plans.
As part of the restructuring, several Singapore-based entities have been merged into Flipkart Internet Private Limited, which will now serve as the main holding company for the entire group.
The consolidation brings a number of major businesses directly under the Indian parent company. These include fashion platform Myntra, logistics arm Ekart, travel booking platform Cleartrip, healthcare marketplace Flipkart Health, and fintech venture Super.money.
Under the new structure, global investors including Walmart, Microsoft, SoftBank, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board will hold their stakes directly in the Indian entity rather than through an overseas holding company.
The redomiciliation required approval from the Indian government because Chinese technology company Tencent owns around a 5 to 6 per cent stake in Flipkart. Under Press Note 3, investments from countries sharing a land border with India require prior government clearance.
Flipkart had already secured approval from the National Company Law Tribunal in December. With the latest clearance from the central government, the company has now obtained all the regulatory approvals needed to complete the relocation, ET reported earlier.
Flipkart had originally shifted its holding structure to Singapore in 2011 to tap global capital more easily. However, as India’s capital markets have matured, several start-ups have begun returning their domiciles to the country ahead of public listings. Companies such as Razorpay, Groww, and Meesho have taken similar steps.
The company is now expected to move ahead with its IPO preparations and has begun early discussions with merchant bankers. According to people familiar with the matter, Flipkart could file its draft prospectus later this year, setting the stage for what may become one of the most closely watched listings in India’s e-commerce sector.
Flipkart has been majority-owned by Walmart since 2018, when the US retail giant acquired a 77 per cent stake in the company for $16 billion in one of the largest e-commerce deals globally.
