Around 100 businesses caught buying fake reviews in largest probe by Singapore's competition watchdog
In the first phase of the investigation, 45 businesses that admitted to purchasing bogus reviews from the sole director of digital marketing firm Reputifly will have to apologise publicly and commit to removing such reviews.
Singapore's competition watchdog has launched its largest investigation to date, targeting around 100 businesses accused of purchasing fake online reviews to boost their ratings. The investigation, involving 45 businesses that admitted to buying bogus reviews from digital marketing firm Reputifly's sole director, Julian Tung Yan Kai, has uncovered the provision of such services on platforms like Google, Facebook, Tripadvisor, Carousell, Yelp and Trustpilot.
These businesses, ranging from restaurants to doctors and lawyers, must publicly apologise, remove existing fake reviews, and report progress in stopping the practice. Reputifly, which also operates BuyReviewSG and GetReviewSG, has admitted to aiding unfair trade practices, committed to ceasing review services, issued a six-month public apology, and donated proceeds to a registered charity.
The investigation will continue to include additional businesses that may have procured fake reviews.
Written by urgent.news from CNA - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
