Quick-commerce and ride apps make ordering easy, but some screens are designed to make you pay more than you planned. In India these tricks have a legal name, "dark patterns", and the consumer regulator has already fined apps for them. This guide shows the 13 banned patterns, real cases, and a ready complaint template.
What you need
Screenshots of the app screen and your final bill or invoice (free).
The order or ride ID, date and amount.
The National Consumer Helpline: call 1915 (8 AM to 8 PM), WhatsApp or SMS 8800001915, or file online at consumerhelpline.gov.in (free).
For a formal case if the issue is not resolved: e-Jagriti, the government's online platform for filing consumer cases.
Step by step
Know the 13 banned patterns. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) notified the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns on 30 November 2023. They apply to platforms selling goods or services in India. The banned list:
False urgency: fake "only 2 left" or countdown pressure.
Basket sneaking: items, donations or memberships added at checkout without your clear consent.
Confirm shaming: guilt or fear to push a choice ("No, I will take the risk").
Forced action: making you buy, sign up or share data to get what you came for.
Subscription trap: hard-to-find or hard-to-use cancellation.
Interface interference: colours or layout that steer you and hide key details.
Bait and switch: advertising one thing and delivering another.
Drip pricing: fees revealed only after you commit, so the final price is higher.
Disguised advertisement: ads made to look like reviews or content.
Nagging: repeated prompts you did not ask for.
Trick question: confusing wording, such as double negatives.
SaaS billing: quiet recurring charges through subscription loops.
Rogue malware: fake virus warnings to sell you something.
Learn from real cases.
Zepto (₹7 lakh penalty): CCPA found drip pricing (handling charges and membership fees added at checkout) and basket sneaking (a membership plan included without clear consent). The government said Zepto removed these practices.
Rapido (₹10 lakh, August 2025): "Auto in 5 min or get ₹50" ads gave users Rapido Coins usable only on bike rides and expiring in 7 days. CCPA called it misleading and ordered refunds in real money.
Rapido (₹10 lakh, September 2026): Prompts like "Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride" and a colour-coded price slider were held to be confirm shaming and interface interference. CCPA said a tip is voluntary and cannot be a condition for a ride.
Others fined include Physics Wallah (pre-selected ₹10 donation) and BookMyShow (pre-selected ₹1 donation, basket sneaking).
Check your own orders. Before paying, look at the full bill summary, not just the big total. Watch for handling, small-cart, packaging, surge or "convenience" fees that appear late, pre-ticked tips or donations, memberships switched on by default, and items you did not add. Users have reported such issues on several quick-commerce apps, including Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart. These are user reports, not regulator findings, so judge each case on your own screenshots.
Complain to the app first. Use in-app support and keep the ticket number. Many issues get refunded here.
Escalate to the National Consumer Helpline. Call 1915, message 8800001915 on WhatsApp, or register on consumerhelpline.gov.in. Use this template:
Subject: Complaint about dark pattern on [App name] (Order/Ride ID: [ID])
On [date], I placed an order/booked a ride on [App name] for Rs [amount].
What happened: [e.g. A "handling fee" of Rs [X] and a membership of Rs [Y] were added at checkout. The membership was switched on by default and I did not choose it.]
This appears to be [drip pricing / basket sneaking / confirm shaming / false urgency], which is listed in the CCPA Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
I contacted the app's support on [date] (ticket no. [number]). The issue was not resolved.
I request:
1. A refund of Rs [amount] charged without my clear consent.
2. That the practice be reviewed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Attached: screenshots of the app screen, the bill/invoice, and the support chat.
Name: [your name]
Phone/Email: [contact]
City/State: [location]File a formal case if needed. If the helpline route does not resolve it, you can file a consumer complaint online through e-Jagriti. Small-value claims go to the District Consumer Commission.
Good to know
This is general information, not legal advice. For the official rules, read the CCPA guidelines on the Department of Consumer Affairs website or ask the National Consumer Helpline.
A fee is not automatically illegal. It becomes a problem when it is hidden, added late, or not clearly disclosed.
Keep evidence the moment you notice something. App screens and prices change quickly.
Be factual in complaints and on social media. Describe what you saw, and avoid accusing a company of things you cannot show.
Sources
Deloitte: The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023
Business Standard: CCPA fines IndiGo, Zepto, BookMyShow and others over dark patterns, Aug 2026
Business Today: Rapido fined ₹10 lakh over misleading ride-booking prompts, Sep 2026
MediaNama: Rapido fined ₹10 lakh over misleading auto ad, Aug 2025
Outlook Business: CCPA asks e-commerce players to self-audit for dark patterns
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