TOKYO - Mercari has announced a major reinforcement of its fraud prevention efforts using AI, following a surge in disputes in the growing secondhand goods market. The popular flea market app is stepping up its campaign to root out dishonest users while launching a new system to guarantee full refunds in the event of trouble.
One example of the issues plaguing the platform involves a defective child car seat. "When attaching this seat to a car, pulling here should reveal the lever, but it's broken and doesn't come out at all," explained a reporter, demonstrating a case where the item was not as described. Similar incidents have been on the rise, with buyers reporting products that arrive damaged or significantly different from the seller’s description. Common scams now include item swapping and fraudulent returns.
"We will use AI to enhance surveillance capabilities and eliminate fraudulent users from the platform," said Toshiaki Sako, head of the Mercari marketplace division.
The newly announced measures include using AI to learn suspicious behavior patterns and assign risk scores to transactions. Users flagged by the system may face account restrictions or demands for compensation. Mercari also plans to open a dedicated "authentication center" and introduce a system that offers full reimbursement to buyers in cases of verified disputes.
Source: TBS
