Dark Pattern In E-Commerce: Flipkart, Seller Ordered To Refund For Misrepresented Nokia Phone

Introduction

In a notable victory for consumer rights, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Gurugram, on July 2, 2025, ruled in favour of Vedant Verma, a consumer who received a second-hand Nokia phone falsely sold as new on Flipkart. The Commission found Flipkart and its seller guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, directing them to refund the purchase amount with interest and compensate the complainant for harassment and litigation expenses.

The Dispute

On June 17, 2024, Vedant Verma ordered a Nokia 6310 Dual SIM Feature Mobile Phone via Flipkart for ₹2,999. The product was delivered two days later by Flipkart's seller, M/s Dhayal Trading, based in Rajasthan. However, within weeks of use, the phone began to malfunction. Upon taking the device to a Nokia Authorized Service Centre in Gurugram, Verma was shocked to learn, based on the IMEI and internal records that the phone had already been activated on June 25, 2017, in