Nintendo has been working with Japan’s major online marketplaces to tackle misleading Switch 2 listings, with Yahoo Japan Auctions opting to outright ban resales of Nintendo’s next-gen offering. However, despite these measures, there have been a number of different scams in Japan involving second-hand Switch 2 consoles. Resellers sending out empty Switch 2 boxes or even photos of the console instead of the real deal are two scams that have been common enough to attract mainstream Japanese news coverage.
TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) and FNN (Fuji News Network) are among the news broadcasters that have released video segments looking into Switch 2 resales and scam listings, particularly on Mercari Japan. FNN focused on a prevalent con in which resellers send buyers a photo or an empty Switch 2 box instead of the actual console. At first glance, most of these scam listings look like regular Switch 2 console posts. However, tucked away in the description are sentences like “I will send a photo of a Switch 2” or “I will send out a Switch 2 box.” Many scammers are writing long descriptions to increase the chance that people click on “buy” without bothering to read all the details.
TBS news also highlighted “confusing” listings, such as a listing where the header describes an OLED model of the Switch 1, however the photo shows a Switch 2 box, with the small print in the description saying “Switch 2 is not included.”
Both news channels reached out to a lawyer to determine which Switch 2 listings could be considered fraudulent. According to Kunitaka Kasai of Rei Law Office, if the product is described as a Switch 2 console in the listing but the buyer doesn’t receive the described product, then the seller can potentially be charged with fraud.
However, even if the pictures show a Switch 2, it is not considered a fraudulent listing if the description specifies that the actual item the buyer will receive is something different (be it a photo of a Switch 2, an empty box, or a Switch 1).
Due to heavy demand, it is still not possible to walk into a store and buy a Switch 2 in Japan (even Nintendo’s Official Stores are not stocking the console yet). Would-be Switch 2 owners in Japan are left with two choices at the moment: keep entering official Switch 2 lotteries in the hope of getting lucky enough to purchase one, or try buying a resale console from online marketplaces.
However, buyers are cautioned to be wary and check listings thoroughly before they hit the “buy” button. Changes in how the Switch 2’s warranty works is another issue that might make people rethink snapping up a second-hand console.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
