Dark patterns are interface designs that push a user toward a choice they did not freely intend. Indian consumer guidelines identify 13 common patterns, giving shoppers a practical vocabulary for misleading countdowns, hidden charges and forced choices.
What you need to know
- False urgency and false scarcity can manufacture pressure to buy.
- Basket sneaking can add an item, donation or service without clear consent.
- Confirm shaming uses guilt to influence a decision.
- Subscription traps make joining easy and cancellation unnecessarily difficult.
- Drip pricing reveals unavoidable charges late in the process.
Practical next steps
Pause before checkout, compare the first advertised price with the final payable amount, remove preselected extras and keep screenshots. If a business does not resolve a complaint, use the National Consumer Helpline and provide the transaction evidence.
Official sources
Last verified: 30 August 2026. Details can change; check the official sources before making an important decision.