29 June, 2018
The prevalence of "fake reviewers" is on the rise in Singapore, according to a recent news report. Fake reviewers operate by posting fake positive reviews about products that they have never tried, in return for money given by companies. Companies benefit by gaining a boost to the company's online shop profiles and search rankings because of these fake reviews. The scale of this practice is alarming, with one company admitting that it had up to 80,000 people in the region, including Singapore, working for them as fake reviewers.
The use of fake reviewers might seem like an attractive option for boosting online sales, but such practices are misleading and fall afoul of the law. The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act("CPFTA") and the Consumer Protection (Trade Descriptions and Safety Requirements) Act ("CPTDS") respectively prohibits suppliers from engaging in an unfair trade practice, and applying a false trade description to goods, which are supplied to Singapore consumers.
For further information, please contact:
Andy Leck, Principal, Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow
andy.leck@bakermckenzie.com
