CCS takes action against provider of fake reviews and businesses procuring reviews
28 October 2026
Following investigations into a provider of fake review services (“T”) and businesses that procured such reviews, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) took enforcement action against the parties, requiring them to cease their unfair practices, remove posted fake reviews, and post and maintain a public apology for a period of six months. CCS published a media release on 30 September 2026 announcing the enforcement action.
T provided fake review services to approximately 100 businesses through businesses and websites that he owned and operated (collectively “T Co”). Businesses engaged T Co to procure and post fake reviews on their behalf, agreeing on the number of reviews to be posted, with content either generated by T Co or supplied by the businesses themselves. The reviews were presented as genuine reviews from customers when they were not. CCS found that consumers could reasonably have been misled into believing that these businesses or their products and services were more popular or positively received than they actually were.
This is CCS’s largest fake review investigation to date given the number of businesses involved. CCS is conducting the investigation in two phases. In the first phase, CCS is investigating T Co and 47 businesses that procured its services. CCS has commenced the second phase, which extends beyond the remaining businesses to other businesses that may have procured fake review services from T Co.
Of the 47 businesses investigated by CCS in the first phase, two declined to provide undertakings on CCS’s required terms. CCS will continue its investigations into the two businesses and take firmer enforcement action, if the facts support this.
Following CCS’s investigations and interventions, 45 businesses provided undertakings to CCS and committed to cease procuring or posting fake reviews and other unfair practices. They must also identify and remove fake reviews relating to their businesses, report their progress to CCS, strengthen their compliance measures, and publish a prominent public apology for six months on their websites, official social media accounts, and at their physical premises or outlets.
T Co similarly committed to cease providing fake review services and facilitating unfair practices, and to publish a public apology prominently on its website for six months. It has also voluntarily committed to donate proceeds obtained from its fake review services to an Institution of a Public Character of its choice.
CCS calls on all other fake review providers, as well as businesses that have procured fake reviews, to come forward voluntarily. Those who do so before CCS commences formal investigations against them will have their cooperation viewed favourably. Information may be provided at https://go.gov.sg/ccsresponse.
Reference materials
The following materials are available on the CCS website www.ccs.gov.sg: