TOKYO - The problem of fake advertisements spreading through social media is expanding in Japan, with one of the country’s leading lingerie makers now facing growing damage from counterfeit ads and fraudulent online sales.
One advertisement promoting a product called the “Bone Slim Fit Bra” claimed that it was strongly recommended by Japanese doctors, giving the impression that it had been created specifically for Japanese consumers.
However, when viewers played the video, it opened with awkward Japanese phrases such as, “The secret major company interviewers never teach you,” and, “If your breasts are too large, your interview pass rate drops by an astonishing 30 percent,” while making inappropriate claims that women with larger breasts are disadvantaged in job interviews.
The video continued by stating, “Success at work should depend only on your abilities. But in reality, large breasts make the lower body look thick and reduce the impression of professionalism,” suggesting that breast size could negatively affect career advancement.
The company whose name and logo were used without permission was major Japanese underwear manufacturer Wacoal.
In the fake advertisements, the Wacoal logo appeared in the upper-right corner of videos explaining the underwear products. The logo was also displayed in videos featuring women emphasizing protruding stomachs while promoting the items.
In one clip, a woman bizarrely put the advertised underwear on over a pair of leggings before forcing her stomach into the garment. Afterward, apparently to demonstrate the slimming effect, she turned around to show her full body and gave a thumbs-up pose.
Actual victims have also emerged.
A woman living in Ibaraki Prefecture purchased underwear in late April after seeing an Instagram advertisement. When she checked the ordering website, the Wacoal logo appeared above images of the products.
The victim said: “It was 10,600 yen for four items with free shipping, so I thought it was cheap and ended up ordering them.”
She said she realized the products were fake when they arrived cash-on-delivery on May 13th.
The victim said: “A package wrapped tightly in plastic bags arrived. Inside was thin, flimsy material that couldn’t even function as a night bra. I was so disappointed. I thought, ‘I got scammed,’ and blamed myself for being foolish.”
According to Wacoal, damage from fake advertisements has been confirmed in Japan for around five years, with the company having already submitted more than 135,000 takedown requests.
Shoji Nomura of Wacoal Holdings’ Legal and Compliance Department said: “Advertisements are circulating that use our logo on products completely unrelated to our company. Even after we remove them, new ones appear. It has become a constant cat-and-mouse game.”
Wacoal has obtained products sold through the fake advertisements for investigation.
The company said many of the collected items were clearly low quality, including products that arrived with loose stitching, emitted foul odors, or tore apart after being washed several times.
Nomura said: “Some consumers believe they are using genuine Wacoal products. If people think ‘So this is what Wacoal products are like,’ it damages our brand. The malicious nature of these ads is a serious problem for us.”
Wacoal says fake advertisements often feature suspicious account names and destination websites made up of random strings of alphabet letters, while also promoting unrealistic discounts.
Nomura added: “We want to completely eliminate this problem and identify those responsible and the masterminds behind it. With support from police, we are conducting upstream investigations. We are taking every possible measure with the goal of reducing to zero.”
Source: FNN
