Last materially reviewed: October 17, 2026 — DTI Consumer CARe intake, Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau guidance, RA 11967 and RA 7394.
Direct answer
To file a DTI complaint against an online seller, first use the seller’s or marketplace’s own complaint process and save the ticket number. If a covered online complaint remains unresolved for seven calendar days, submit it through the DTI Consumer CARe System. DTI’s current Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau guidance also allows a complaint form or complaint letter to be sent to consumercare@dti.gov.ph, or filed in person with the proper DTI office.
Attach the order or receipt, proof of payment, the original listing, seller identity and address if available, delivery records, your chats and platform ticket, photos or video of the problem, and a short chronological account stating the remedy you want. DTI usually starts with mediation. If mediation fails and you want formal adjudication, additional verified documents and a Certificate to File Action are required.
Evidence and action
Before filing: use the seller or platform process
Section 24 of the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 says an aggrieved party must use the digital platform, e-marketplace or e-retailer’s internal redress mechanism before filing with a court or government agency or using alternative dispute resolution. The law treats that mechanism as exhausted when the complaint is still unresolved seven calendar days after filing.
- Open the dispute promptly. Use the order page, return/refund button, help center or the seller’s published complaint channel. Do not wait for the seven-day period if a platform return window is shorter.
- Describe one concrete problem. Say whether the item was defective, not as described, short in quantity, missing, delivered late, covered by a breached warranty, falsely advertised or never delivered.
- Name the remedy. Ask for repair, replacement, refund, price reduction, correction of the advertisement or another specific outcome supported by the facts.
- Save proof of filing. Keep the ticket number, date, screenshots and every answer. This establishes what you asked for and when the seven-day statutory clock began.
A pure consumer-to-consumer sale is outside RA 11967’s coverage. Other laws and civil remedies may still apply, but do not describe a one-off private seller as a covered online merchant without checking the facts.
Where can you file a DTI consumer complaint?
| Route | How to use it | Keep this proof |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Create an account and submit through DTI Consumer CARe. This is the clearest current online intake. | Confirmation screen, reference number and uploaded-file list. |
| Send the accomplished complaint form or a complete complaint letter to consumercare@dti.gov.ph. DTI’s e-commerce FAQ also identifies fteb@dti.gov.ph for online-seller complaints. | Sent email, attachments and delivery or acknowledgment message. | |
| In person | Metro Manila complainants may file with the DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau, 5th Floor, Trade and Industry Building, 361 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City. Consumers elsewhere may use the appropriate DTI regional or provincial office. | Date-stamped receiving copy or acknowledgment. |
Use only official dti.gov.ph addresses and the consumercare.dti.gov.ph portal. Do not pay a private person who promises a guaranteed DTI result.
Is DTI the right agency?
DTI handles consumer complaints involving products outside the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture’s jurisdictions, including product quality and safety, deceptive or unconscionable sales practices, “No Return, No Exchange” violations, warranties, labeling and packaging, product or service liability, misleading advertisements, fraudulent sales promotions, and repair or service firms. The correct agency depends on the subject, not merely on the fact that the transaction happened online.
| Main problem | Primary route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Defective or not-as-described ordinary consumer goods; refused warranty; misleading price or ad | Seller/platform, then DTI | These are within DTI’s fair-trade and consumer jurisdiction. |
| Bank, e-wallet, pawnshop, credit card or other BSP-supervised financial service | Provider, then BSP | Financial institutions are supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. |
| Mobile, internet or telecommunications service | Provider, then NTC | Rates and telecom services fall under the National Telecommunications Commission. |
| Food, drugs, cosmetics, devices or health products | Seller, then DOH/FDA | Health-regulated products generally belong to the Department of Health and Food and Drug Administration. |
| Agricultural products or regulated farm inputs | Seller, then DA or its attached agency | The Department of Agriculture handles its regulated product areas. |
| Seller took payment, used a fake identity and disappeared | Payment provider immediately, then cybercrime reporting | A refund dispute and a suspected crime can require different tracks. Preserve the DTI route for any consumer-law issue. |
DTI applies a “No Wrong Door” approach to help route consumer concerns, but a referral is not a finding that your claim is valid. For a routing overview, see CyberCode’s help directory for banks, wallets, telcos and shopping apps.
What documents should you attach?
- Your details: full name, address, email and phone number.
- Respondent details: seller or business name, marketplace profile, physical or registered address if known, email, phone number and store URL.
- Transaction proof: order confirmation, invoice or receipt, payment record, item and price, and date of purchase.
- Original representation: full listing, selected variant, description, photos, warranty, promotion, return policy and checkout terms.
- Delivery evidence: parcel label, tracking history, proof of delivery and unboxing or condition records.
- Problem evidence: clear photos or video, test results, serial number, missing-parts list or comparison with the listing.
- Prior redress: seller and platform chats, emails, ticket number, filing date and the result or non-response after seven days.
- Requested relief: the exact amount or action sought and a short explanation of why it fits the problem.
Keep original files as well as the copies you upload. Avoid sending unrelated IDs, passwords, one-time PINs or complete bank credentials. CyberCode’s online evidence checklist explains how to preserve screenshots and transaction records with context.
What should the complaint say?
An initial complaint should make the dispute easy to understand. Use dates and documents instead of conclusions such as “the seller is obviously a scammer.” State:
- who bought what from whom;
- the purchase, payment and delivery dates;
- what the listing or warranty promised;
- what actually happened;
- when and how you complained to the seller or platform;
- the ticket number and response, or the date seven days elapsed without resolution;
- the law or consumer right involved if known; and
- the precise remedy requested.
Illustrative factual format: On [date], I bought [exact item and variant] from [seller/store] through [platform] for ₱[amount], order number [number]. The listing stated [material promise]. On [date], I received [what actually arrived/problem]. I filed platform complaint [ticket] on [date] and requested [remedy]. The complaint remains unresolved / was denied on [date] for [stated reason]. I attach the listing, order, payment, delivery, photos and communications. I request [repair/replacement/refund/other relief] because [brief factual and legal basis].
Adapt the text to what actually happened. Do not sign a verification or certificate against forum shopping unless every statement is true and you understand the document.
What happens after you file?
- Intake and routing. DTI reviews the complaint, respondent and subject. It may seek missing information, route the concern to the proper office or agency, or decline matters outside its jurisdiction or filed beyond the applicable period.
- Mediation. DTI’s Mediation Division brings the parties together to try to reach a voluntary settlement. Attend on time and have authority to settle if you represent someone else; the official form warns that unjustified nonappearance can lead to withdrawal without prejudice to refiling.
- Settlement or failure of mediation. If the parties agree, put the complete remedy, amount, deadline, return-shipping responsibility and payment method in writing. If they do not agree, request and preserve the Certificate to File Action.
- Adjudication. A formal case requires a duly verified, dated and signed complaint, names and addresses of the parties, material facts, supporting affidavits or documentary evidence, relief requested, a certification against forum shopping and the Certificate to File Action. DTI’s Adjudication Division can hear covered Consumer Act and trade-law violations.
- Other remedies. Depending on the dispute, judicial action may remain available. RA 11967 Section 28 gives a two-year period from accrual for damages claims before a court or the DTI; other claims may have different periods.
Mediation is not the same as a final ruling. A mediator helps the parties reach agreement; adjudication is the formal decision process. Keep monitoring the email address and portal account used in the complaint.
What can you realistically ask for?
| Problem | Possible request | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Defective or malfunctioning product | Repair, replacement, refund or price reduction as the law and facts allow. | A refund is not automatic in every defect case; the Consumer Act may place correction first unless the imperfection justifies immediate alternatives. |
| Item materially different from listing, sample, quantity or accepted purpose | Replacement, refund or other remedy for non-conformity. | Preserve the listing and selected variant. A different expectation not shown in the transaction is weaker evidence. |
| Misleading ad or fake reference price | Correction, removal, investigation and a purchase remedy tied to proven loss. | A person who did not buy normally cannot claim a personal refund merely for seeing the ad. |
| Change of mind; item is not defective and matches the listing | Use any voluntary seller or platform return policy. | Philippine law generally does not create a universal change-of-mind return right. |
| Paid order never arrived | Delivery, replacement or refund, plus any supported loss. | Confirm whether the dispute is nondelivery, courier loss or fraud and pursue urgent payment-provider steps where appropriate. |
The online merchant is generally the primary party responsible for indemnifying the consumer. A marketplace’s liability depends on the conditions in RA 11967 Sections 26 and 27; it is not automatically liable for every seller dispute.
Worked example
A Cebu buyer orders a “brand-new” tablet from a marketplace merchant for ₱8,500. The package arrives with a scratched unit that will not charge and has a different serial number from the box. The buyer records the unboxing, photographs the serial numbers, saves the listing and parcel label, and files a marketplace return request the same day. The seller replies only that the shop has a “no refund” policy. The platform ticket remains unresolved for seven calendar days.
The buyer can file with DTI using the transaction record, defect evidence, seller response and ticket timeline. The complaint should ask for the remedy sought and explain why the defect and non-conformity are not a change of mind. A DTI complaint does not guarantee a refund, but this evidence gives the mediator or adjudicator a focused record. For the underlying return rules, see e-commerce returns, refunds and consumer rights in the Philippines.
Common filing mistakes
- Filing with DTI before documenting the seller or platform’s internal process for a covered online transaction.
- Uploading cropped screenshots that omit the seller, variant, date, URL, price or surrounding terms.
- Demanding a refund without stating the defect, misrepresentation, warranty breach or contractual basis.
- Naming only the marketplace when the merchant is the primary respondent, or omitting the merchant’s available identity and address.
- Treating a change of mind as if the product were defective.
- Missing portal messages, mediation notices or document deadlines.
- Starting duplicate cases without accurately disclosing other court, tribunal or agency proceedings.
Frequently asked questions
Is a lawyer required to file a DTI consumer complaint?
No lawyer is ordinarily required to submit an initial consumer complaint or take part in mediation. Formal adjudication has verified-document requirements, and legal advice may be useful when the amount, evidence, deadline or parallel proceedings are significant.
Can I complain if the online seller has no DTI business name?
Yes, you may still report the transaction and provide every identifier available: seller name, shop URL, account handle, phone, email, payment account, courier label and marketplace order. Lack of registration does not erase the transaction, but incomplete identity information can make notice and enforcement harder.
Can I file immediately after the seller rejects my request?
Document the rejection and the complete platform process. RA 11967 requires internal redress first and deems it exhausted after seven calendar days unresolved. A final denial may show that the internal route has been used, but keeping the statutory timeline and all appeal steps clear reduces procedural disputes.
Does DTI handle scams?
DTI can address consumer and fair-trade issues, but suspected fraud, account takeover or payment diversion may also require your bank or e-wallet and cybercrime authorities. Use separate, accurate reports; a police complaint does not itself produce a consumer refund.
How long does a DTI complaint take?
There is no responsible one-size-fits-all promise. Timing depends on intake completeness, service on the respondent, attendance, settlement, office workload and whether the case proceeds from mediation to adjudication. Keep the reference number and answer requests promptly.
What if the seller is overseas?
Preserve the marketplace and seller details and file against the proper parties. RA 11967 can apply to persons who purposefully avail themselves of the Philippine market, but cross-border notice and enforcement may be harder. A marketplace may have subsidiary liability in the specific circumstances stated in Section 26, including inability to provide a foreign seller’s contact details after notice.
Official sources and status
- DTI Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau — How to file a consumer complaint.
- DTI Consumer CARe System.
- DTI FTEB — What is a consumer complaint?.
- DTI FTEB — Consumer Act jurisdiction.
- DTI FTEB Mediation Division.
- DTI FTEB — Adjudication filing requirements.
- DTI initial consumer complaint form.
- Republic Act No. 11967, Internet Transactions Act of 2023 — Supreme Court E-Library.
- Republic Act No. 7394, Consumer Act of the Philippines — Supreme Court E-Library.
- DTI — Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 11967.
Legal and procedure status: RA 7394 and RA 11967 are enacted laws, not draft measures. The cited DTI intake and FTEB guidance were rechecked on October 17, 2026. Portal screens, office contacts and platform procedures can change; verify the current official route when filing.
About this guide
Author: CyberCode.ph Editorial Team.
Review limits: No named external lawyer is credited unless that review occurred. This guide explains general Philippine consumer-law procedure and evidence steps; it does not decide a particular dispute.
CyberCode.ph provides general educational information about technology, cybersecurity, privacy and related legal issues. It is not a substitute for legal, cybersecurity or professional advice for a specific situation.