Key facts
- Singapore's CCS took action against 45 businesses for buying fake online reviews.
- The crackdown targeted a provider, Reputifly Pte. Ltd., which used AI to generate reviews.
- Reputifly's AI was trained on real Google ratings to mimic authentic content.
- Businesses purchased fake reviews to boost their online ratings and social proof.
- The operation involved human proxies posting AI-generated reviews on platforms like Google and Tripadvisor.
- The 45 businesses will be required to post public apologies for six months.
Singapore's Competition and Consumer Commission (CCS) has initiated its largest-ever crackdown on fake online reviews, targeting 45 businesses that purchased fabricated ratings to enhance their online credibility. The investigation also implicated Reputifly Pte. Ltd., operated by Julian Tung Yan Kai, which supplied these fake reviews.
Reputifly developed a sophisticated AI system specifically designed to bypass detection methods used by platforms and regulators. This system was trained on genuine Google reviews, allowing it to generate content that mimicked natural language, incorporated local Singaporean context, and even included grammatical imperfections to appear more authentic. The AI also produced reviews with initial reservations followed by positive resolutions, a structure perceived as more credible by consumers.
The operation extended beyond AI generation, employing human proxies recruited through Telegram to post the fabricated reviews across various platforms, including Google, Facebook, Tripadvisor, and Yelp. These proxies used their own accounts, masking the machine-generated nature of the content by leveraging legitimate account histories and behavioral patterns.
Businesses that subscribed to Reputifly's services had access to an online dashboard to manage and track their fake reviews, and could use a calculator to determine the number of five-star reviews needed to achieve a desired average rating. The services were purchased by a wide range of businesses, from funeral parlors and law firms to aesthetic clinics and restaurants, sectors where consumers heavily rely on star ratings for trust.
As part of the enforcement action, the 45 businesses have been required to cease their unfair practices, remove the fake reviews, and post a public apology for six months. The CCS is continuing its investigation into two businesses that declined the initial settlement terms and is also pursuing a second phase of investigations into other businesses that may have used Reputifly's services.