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Megha was booking movie tickets for a weekend show with her family. The app displayed a price of ₹300 per ticket. She selected the seats, entered her mobile number, added payment details, and proceeded to checkout.
Megha was booking movie tickets for a weekend show with her family. The app displayed a price of ₹300 per ticket. She selected the seats, entered her mobile number, added payment details, and proceeded to checkout.
Just before payment, the total amount suddenly jumped to ₹387.
Travel/Accident Insurance (already selected by default)
Megha was surprised. She had never chosen the insurance option, yet it was already included in the bill.
Most consumers simply pay the amount because they have already spent several minutes completing the booking process. This psychological tactic is known as a Dark Pattern.
A dark pattern is a design trick used by websites or apps to influence consumers into spending more money or making choices they did not intend to make.
“Only 1 seat left!” even when inventory exists
For a single transaction, the extra amount may look small. But consider a consumer who books flights, movie tickets, hotel rooms, and food deliveries regularly.
₹50–₹150
10
₹500–₹1,500
₹6,000–₹18,000
For many families, this is equivalent to a month’s utility bill.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines identifying several dark patterns as unfair trade practices.
Mislead consumers through deceptive interface design
Force subscriptions through confusing cancellation processes
These rules apply to e-commerce platforms, ticket booking apps, travel websites, and digital service providers operating in India.
Instead of ignoring the issue, Megha took screenshots of:
She then filed a complaint through the consumer grievance portal, arguing that the additional charges were not clearly disclosed at the beginning of the transaction.
Within a few days, the platform’s customer support team contacted her and refunded the insurance amount that had been added without explicit consent.
Check whether convenience fees were disclosed upfront
“Insurance added for your safety”
“Recommended protection selected”
“Processing fee added at checkout”
“Only 2 rooms left at this price”
“Cancel anytime” without a visible cancellation button
Contact the platform’s grievance officer
File a complaint with the National Consumer Helpline (1915)
Escalate to the CCPA if the issue remains unresolved
Dark patterns are not merely a technology issue. They affect household budgets, especially when consumers make frequent digital transactions. The more digital commerce grows, the more important it becomes for consumers to understand how pricing interfaces can influence their decisions.
Transparency is not a favor from companies—it is a consumer right.
“A consumer should know the full price before making a purchase. Any attempt to hide charges, pre-select paid services, or manipulate the checkout process weakens consumer trust and may violate fair trade principles.”
A few extra seconds can save you from paying hidden charges that were never clearly disclosed in the first place.
If the price changes unexpectedly, document it immediately and use the official consumer grievance mechanism to seek redressal.