F&B Businesses That Bought Fake Reviews Include Yaowarat Seafood, Burma Social & Torio Japanese Restaurant
Checking out online reviews before deciding on your next makan spot? Take note that some glowing endorsements may have been bought. Burma Social, Torio Japanese Restaurant and Yaowarat Seafood are among the F&B businesses involved in a fake review investigation.
The government-backed Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) list also names a “Nanyang Brew Coffee”, but does not provide an address or identify the café it operates. 8days.sg could not locate an online presence for a coffee joint operating under that same name.
The case goes beyond eateries. According to CNA, 45 businesses admitted to purchasing fake reviews in the first phase of an investigation by CCS.
The 45 businesses are part of a wider investigation involving around 100 businesses across sectors including restaurants, hair salons, medical services and law firms. CCS is conducting the probe in two phases and announced its first-phase findings on Sept 30.
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Burma Social apologises for buying fake reviews
Burma Social at 34 Tras Street serves modern Burmese cuisine with influences from countries like Thailand, China and India. Dishes include Mala Veg Wok and Burmese-style pork belly braised for 18 hours, served with a sweet soy glaze and soy-cured egg.
It previously had two outlets, but its Siglap branch closed down recently.
The restaurant posted a public apology on Instagram on Sept 30, with the statement also appearing on its website. It acknowledges procuring fake positive reviews and says it has taken steps to remove them.
Photo: Instagram/burmasocial.sg
Some netizens praised the restaurant despite the admission. “Why you guys would even need fake reviews for clout is beyond me, your food is literally heaven on earth,” wrote one, who also complimented the restaurant’s service.
If you couldn’t spot Burma Social on CCS’s list, it’s because Kuisine Koncepts Pte Ltd, the parent company behind it, is named instead.
Torio Japanese Restaurant also involved
Torio Japanese Restaurant is an omakase restaurant at Pacific Plaza on Scotts Road, offering chef-selected courses alongside à la carte sashimi, sushi and maki. Diners can also order sets and pair their meal with sake or Japanese whisky.
Its kitchen is helmed by chefs Jackles Tai and Steve Quek, the creator of Shiok Maki, which became popular at the now-defunct Koh Grill & Sushi Bar in Wisma Atria. Quek has since brought his version of the roll to Torio.
The restaurant has also posted a public apology for procuring fake positive reviews.
Yaowarat Seafood implicated; Sanook Kitchen unrelated
Yaowarat Seafood on Lavender Street serves Thai-Chinese fare, including tom yum seafood pots, Thai-style braised crab vermicelli and grilled pork neck. Its website also lists Yaowarat Cafe on Enggor Street, which offers Thai drinks and café bites.
The business behind Yaowarat Seafood, Sanook Group Pte Ltd, is named on CCS’s list. Its apology appears on the restaurant’s website, acknowledging that it procured fake positive reviews and saying it has taken corrective measures.
Photo: Facebook/yaowaratseafood
According to 8world, the similar name caused confusion online, with some netizens mistaking Sanook Group for Thai restaurant chain Sanook Kitchen. Sanook Kitchen subsequently clarified that it is operated by Minor Food Group Singapore and has no business affiliation with Sanook Group.
Public apologies must stay up for six months
The apologies aren’t posts the businesses can take down after a few days. According to CNA, the 45 businesses must keep them prominently displayed for six months on their websites, official social media accounts and onsite at their outlets.
They must also stop procuring or posting fake reviews, remove existing ones and report their progress to CCS.
35 five-star reviews for $219
According to CNA, the fake review services were supplied by Julian Tung Yan Kai, director of digital marketing firm Reputifly, who also operates BuyReviewSG and GetReviewSG.
Businesses could buy packages of reviews to be posted over time. One offered 35 five-star reviews spread over seven days for $219.
AI-written reviews, complete with tracking dashboard
CCS says generative AI was used to make the reviews sound like genuine customer accounts, with varied writing styles, local references and small imperfections. Clients could edit the text before publication.
The operation even had a dashboard to generate, manage and track reviews, drawing details from existing positive Google reviews. Some fabricated accounts described an initially doubtful customer being won over, to make the endorsement sound more believable. A separate calculator helped businesses work out how many five-star reviews they needed to reach their target rating.
According to CCS, the provider recruited people through Telegram and paid them to post prepared fake reviews using their accounts.
CCS warned that it would pursue both businesses that buy fake reviews and those who profit from supplying them.
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