Sneaky Nintendo Switch 2 Scams Prompt Warnings From Japanese TV News

Nintendo has been moving with Japan’s large online marketplaces to tackle misleading Switch 2 listings, with Yahoo Japan Auctions opting to outright prohibition resales of Nintendo’s next-gen offering. However, contempt these measures, determination person been a fig of antithetic scams successful Japan involving second-hand Switch 2 consoles. Resellers sending retired bare Switch 2 boxes oregon adjacent photos of the console alternatively of the existent woody are 2 scams that person been communal capable to pull mainstream Japanese quality coverage.

TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) and FNN (Fuji News Network) are among the quality broadcasters that person released video segments looking into Switch 2 resales and scam listings, peculiarly connected Mercari Japan. FNN focused connected a prevalent con successful which resellers nonstop buyers a photograph oregon an bare Switch 2 container alternatively of the existent console. At archetypal glance, astir of these scam listings look similar regular Switch 2 console posts. However, tucked distant successful the statement are sentences similar “I volition nonstop a photograph of a Switch 2” oregon “I volition nonstop retired a Switch 2 box.” Many scammers are penning agelong descriptions to summation the accidental that radical click connected “buy” without bothering to work each the details.

TBS quality besides highlighted “confusing” listings, specified arsenic a listing wherever the header describes an OLED exemplary of the Switch 1, nevertheless the photograph shows a Switch 2 box, with the tiny people successful the statement saying “Switch 2 is not included.”

Both quality channels reached retired to a lawyer to find which Switch 2 listings could beryllium considered fraudulent. According to Kunitaka Kasai of Rei Law Office, if the merchandise is described arsenic a Switch 2 console successful the listing but the purchaser doesn’t person the described product, past the seller tin perchance beryllium charged with fraud.

However, adjacent if the pictures amusement a Switch 2, it is not considered a fraudulent listing if the statement specifies that the existent point the purchaser volition person is thing antithetic (be it a photograph of a Switch 2, an bare box, oregon a Switch 1).

Due to dense demand, it is inactive not imaginable to locomotion into a store and bargain a Switch 2 successful Japan (even Nintendo’s Official Stores are not stocking the console yet). Would-be Switch 2 owners successful Japan are near with 2 choices astatine the moment: support entering authoritative Switch 2 lotteries successful the anticipation of getting fortunate capable to acquisition one, oregon effort buying a resale console from online marketplaces.

However, buyers are cautioned to beryllium wary and cheque listings thoroughly earlier they deed the “buy” button. Changes successful however the Switch 2’s warranty works is different contented that mightiness marque radical rethink snapping up a second-hand console.

Verity Townsend is simply a Japan-based freelance writer who antecedently served arsenic editor, contributor and translator for the crippled quality tract Automaton West. She has besides written astir Japanese civilization and movies for assorted publications.