Your commercial news-round up: HMRC phishing attack, Shein’s “dark” practices, Nintendo Switch 2, Amazon robots

Reading time: four minutes

HMRC has been dealing with a phishing attack and Shein has been accused of “dark patterns” such as “shaming” customers into buying more than they need to. Meanwhile, Nintendo fans have queued overnight to get their hands on the newly launched Switch 2 console and Amazon is trialling humanoid robots that could one day replace delivery drivers. Read on for a summary of this week’s commercial story picks!

• Scammers have stolen £47 million from HMRC by fraudulently accessing 100,000 online tax accounts using phishing techniques, the tax authority revealed on Wednesday 5 June. HMRC is in the process of contacting the affected individuals to confirm that it’s “locked down the compromised accounts” and the account holders haven’t lost any money. The incident was described to the Treasury Committee as "organised crime" by two senior civil servants at HMRC and began last year. The criminals used stolen personal data to pose as taxpayers and claim rebates. However, HMRC clarified that this wasn’t a cyberattack but a case of identity theft. Speaking to the BBC, HMRC's Deputy Chief Executive Angela MacDonald said: “What has been a challenge in terms of... cleaning the accounts up is being clear that we were then talking to the genuine customer and not in fact talking to the criminal who was on the other end of the account.” MacDonald also highlighted the growing threat of cybercrime and said that “it is a continuing piece of work for us to invest in our systems... to try to outpace the criminals”.
   
• Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has been accused of using manipulative “dark patterns” to pressure consumers into overspending. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has alleged in a 29-page dossier to the European Commission that Shein employs deceptive tactics such as fake countdown timers, low-stock messages, forced registration on the site or app and “confirm shaming” – a tactic that makes the consumer feel bad if they miss out on buying a product. In addition, the BEUC accused Shein of “unfair commercial practice” that not only harms consumers financially, but also contributes to environmental degradation through “overconsumption of clothing” and potentially toxic materials. In response to the allegations, Shein said: “Consumers would be best served if BEUC agreed to meet with us, allow us to explain our operations, and discuss openly and transparently any concerns they have. Unfortunately, they have chosen to reject each and every one of our many meeting requests over the last several years.”
   
• The Nintendo Switch 2 has officially launched worldwide, resulting in midnight store openings and long queues as eager fans rush to get their hands on the latest console. Many of these fans pre-ordered the device before picking it up in store as only some shops have the console available to buy off the shelf. UK retailer Currys reported its "biggest gaming pre-order ever", selling 30,000 units following “incredible excitement” surrounding the launch. Meanwhile, some customers faced disappointment due to cancelled orders from supplier Game. In the US, pre-orders were briefly halted in April over tariff concerns but resumed shortly after. Having sold more than 150 million units since its 2017 debut, the original Nintendo Switch set a high benchmark as the third-best selling console in history – leaving the Switch 2 with big shoes to fill.
   
• Amazon is reportedly testing humanoid robots for package delivery in the US, which could replace delivery workers. According to tech site The Information, the company is developing the AI software for the robots and has built a ‘humanoid park’ (about the size of a coffee shop) in San Francisco to simulate real-world delivery scenarios. Once the testing has been finalised, Amazon plans to test the robots in the real world. The robots could potentially work alongside human drivers, delivering to one address, while the driver handles another, speeding up drop-off times. The chair of robot learning and autonomy at the University of Edinburgh, Professor Subramanian Ramamoorthy, highlighted the challenge of reliable performance when the robots are faced with real-life scenarios: “If Amazon restricts the scope, which means using relatively clear driveways and standard layouts of doors and surroundings, then the task would be quite a bit simpler. As the environments become more complex and variable, and others enter the picture – such as pets and small children – the problems become harder.”

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