NAGOYA, Jul 16 (News On Japan) –
A rising variety of shoppers in Japan are falling sufferer to faux on-line advertisements that falsely declare endorsements from well-known corporations and universities. In one such case, a licensed psychologist in Nagoya paid roughly 4,500 yen for an “AI robot dog” that turned out to be little greater than an affordable toy resembling one thing from the Showa period.
Psychologist Takeuchi Naruhiko stated he was searching YouTube in June when he noticed a video commercial that includes a lifelike robotic pet. The advert promoted the product as “Japan’s first AI toy dog” that didn’t require feeding and could possibly be quickly recharged. It additionally claimed the gadget might “read its owner’s personality and gradually learn new tricks,” prompting Takeuchi to make an instantaneous buy.
However, what arrived a number of days later was a crude toy that bore no resemblance to the marketed product. “It’s not a pet at all—you can tell at a glance it’s a toy,” Takeuchi stated. “Even a 3-year-old wouldn’t enjoy this. It’s like a toy from the Showa era.”
On social media, others echoed comparable experiences. One purchaser famous the product merely “barked noisily” and found many others had encountered the identical rip-off. A key purpose for the product’s enchantment was the declare that it had been collectively developed by Sony and the University of Tokyo.
Takeuchi stated, “They said it was a collaboration between the University of Tokyo and Sony, so I thought it must be legitimate. I was impressed—Sony and the University of Tokyo together sounded serious.”
However, each establishments have denied any involvement. The University of Tokyo clarified that it doesn’t also have a school of synthetic intelligence, as claimed within the commercial. Sony additionally denied any connection to the product.
Experts counsel some elements of the commercial might have used generated AI imagery, significantly the USB charging scenes. However, others, resembling scenes that includes a white canine, appeared to make use of footage of an actual animal.
Fake advertisements are being found throughout a variety of merchandise. In the case of a falsely marketed air circulator, one sufferer tried to barter a refund by way of LINE, telling the vendor that the product was clearly a counterfeit. Although they had been promised a refund of 1,000 yen, the cost by no means arrived. “I wasn’t satisfied with just 1,000 yen, but I wanted to be done with it,” the customer stated.
Legal consultants warn that partaking instantly with such sellers—typically abroad entities posing as Japanese corporations—might be dangerous. Lawyer Kyorikawa Sho from Hashimoto Law Office advises victims to contact the police or a shopper affairs heart reasonably than pursuing the matter privately, which might result in additional hurt.
Source: FNN