TOKYO - Fraudulent listings posing as sales of the highly popular Nintendo Switch 2 are spreading across flea market sites. Although these posts appear to be selling the Switch 2 console, the description often notes that it is simply a "photo of the Japan-only model." Priced at 53,500 yen, these listings may only deliver the photograph instead of the actual console.
Nintendo announced on June 11th that global sales of the Switch 2 surpassed 3.5 million units just four days after its June 5th release.
In anticipation of such issues, Nintendo had implemented strict conditions for its lottery-based sales and partnered with three flea market platform operators to combat illicit listings. Despite these efforts, high-priced listings exceeding the retail price continue to appear frequently.
Warnings are also circulating on social media, cautioning users about deceptive descriptions that can easily mislead buyers. In one example, a listing priced around 60,000 yen displays a photo of the Switch 2 console. However, upon closer inspection, the description states, "This product is an empty Switch 2 box. We hope you can enjoy the feeling of owning a Switch 2." Buyers who fail to read the fine print risk receiving only an empty box.
Other listings include disclaimers such as "We will ship a drawing of Nintendo Switch 2," further blurring the nature of the actual product.
Regarding the legal implications of such potentially misleading listings, Kuniyoshi Kawanishi, an attorney at Rei Law Office, explained: "If the listing appears to be selling the console but the description clarifies that it is only the box or another item, it may not constitute fraud. Buyers must pay close attention to both the seller and the item descriptions when using flea market apps."
However, Kawanishi also pointed out that listings which fail to clarify the actual product beyond a photograph may still fall under fraud depending on how ambiguous the description is.
Source: FNN
