OLX launches online consumer safety initiative Webwise

OLX, the online marketplace, launches its consumer safety initiative OLX Webwise to raise awareness among users about measures to keep themselves safe while making online transactions. Under Webwise, OLX will be promoting online safety through product updates, user safety guidelines, awareness programs with law enforcement authorities and customer support, the company said in a statement. Keeping user experience at the heart of the platform, OLX has been working towards building a safe and secure product. The current mobile app features' mandatory registration login, chat first interactions and hyper-local browsing do away the inconvenience of interacting with unknown users, the statement said.
 
OLX India works closely with law enforcement authorities and civil society organizations to conduct workshops with cyber-crime cells on emerging trends in online space and assisting them with tools for their investigation, it said. In 2017-18, OLX facilitated workshops with police authorities in Noida, Gurugram, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, the company said. OLX said it will continue the outreach with authorities across other cities in the coming financial year.
 
With its social media channels, OLX is trying to address some of the prominent issues faced by the users.  The online marketplace is users to follow simple tips such as to avoid making advance payments, meet at public places to buy/ sell, make transactions face-to-face and verify product before buying. By addressing these issues, OLX wants to nudge users to wisely take actions to safeguard themselves online, it said. OLX has also launched  a Trust & Safety help centre, which is managed by a specialised team trained to handle and address issues affecting user’s trust and safety. The helpline will assist users seeking redressal for matters around safety such as fraudulent transactions, suspicious ads, advance payments and more.  
 

Irwin Preet Singh Anand, COO of OLX India, Said, “Online frauds like offline are a reflection of the ailments plaguing our society. We believe addressing this larger eco-system issue is a shared responsibility. As a consumer centric brand, we take Trust & Safety as a key priority across functions. With our awareness initiatives such as OLX Webwise combined with constant improvement of our product, our attempt is to educate and help create a safer online experience for our users.”