At the press conference on June 18, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, Deputy Chief of the Market Management Division (QLTT) of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the task of handling counterfeit goods on e-commerce platforms is facing many obstacles due to the anonymity of violators, who often do not leave clear transaction information, making it difficult to verify and trace.
According to Mr. Huy, the violations are becoming more sophisticated. When the authorities tighten inspections, the subjects use slang and communicate via off-channel messaging applications, making the investigation more complex. “Many people livestream in one place, sell goods at another location, while the goods are hidden in private apartments or deep alleys, greatly hindering the inspection work,” Mr. Huy illustrated.
Mr. Huy also frankly warned of a worrying reality: many consumers are accustomed to buying cheap goods and ignoring the risks associated with quality. Even when they discover that the goods are counterfeit, they still accept to use them because they think the value is low. “This is an act of complicity with counterfeit goods. We strongly encourage consumers to boldly denounce and reflect when they discover violations,” Mr. Huy appealed.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, Deputy Chief of Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Division
To improve management effectiveness, the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Division is proposing to intensify training and capacity building for officers in terms of tracing and collecting information on the cyber environment, especially on e-commerce platforms and social networks.
At the same time, the industry will promote the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics to analyze behaviors, identify violation tricks, and thereby build more focused and effective inspection plans.
Regarding the situation where some traders at large markets closed their shops to avoid inspection due to a lack of input invoices, Mr. Huy said that the authorities understand and sympathize with the traders’ difficulties. However, according to Decree 98/2020 (as amended and supplemented in Decree 24/2025), trading goods without invoices or valid vouchers is still considered a violation.
“We understand the concerns of the traders. But we hope that they understand that ensuring the origin of goods is not only a legal requirement but also a way to protect their business reputation, consumers’ health, and a healthy business environment,” emphasized Mr. Huy.
According to statistics, in the first six months of 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Market Management Division inspected 533 cases, handled 526 violations, and collected over VND 15 billion in fines. In the peak month alone (from May 15 to June 15), 137 cases were handled, mostly related to food, cosmetics, and essential consumer goods.
Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, also stated that in addition to the inspection and control measures of the authorities, it is necessary to utilize market pressures to force business entities to operate transparently and professionally.
The Department of Industry and Trade will launch the “Tick Blue Responsibility for e-Commerce” program, aiming to establish standards of conduct for three main groups: e-commerce platforms, sellers, and affiliate marketing enterprises, KOLs/KOCs. “The ‘tick blue’ recognition will help consumers easily identify reputable business entities, thereby eliminating low-quality product providers and promoting the development of serious businesses,” affirmed Mr. Phuong.
From June 2025, if the electronic invoice revenue of business households increases by 50% or more compared to the estimated revenue, the tax calculation revenue will be adjusted (illustrative image)
Back taxes will be collected if business households with online sales do not fully declare
On the same day, regarding business households with online sales or transactions on e-commerce platforms, Mr. Mai Son, Deputy Director of the Tax Department, said that the tax authority will trace the money flow and determine the actual revenue. Based on this, the tax authority will collect back taxes for cases that have not been declared or fully declared.
Especially from June 1, 2025, for business households using electronic invoices issued by cash registers connected to the tax authority’s data, if the actual revenue recorded in the electronic invoices increases by 50% or more compared to the initial estimated revenue, the tax calculation revenue will be adjusted accordingly.
Mr. Mai Son gave an example: “If, at the beginning of 2025, a business household is estimated to have a tax calculation revenue of VND 100 million/month, but in June, the actual revenue recorded in the electronic invoices reaches VND 150 million, then from July, the tax authority will adjust the tax calculation revenue to VND 150 million/month. Conversely, if the actual revenue in the next month decreases, the tax calculation revenue will also be adjusted downward accordingly.”
Regarding input goods, Mr. Son advised business households to obtain complete invoices and vouchers and clearly declare the origin and source of goods. This not only ensures compliance with legal regulations but also helps minimize risks related to counterfeit and fake goods in the business process.
