The National Consumer Information Center has warned that this kind of
alleged deception is becoming more common, with 42 reported victims in
2013, up from 26 in 2012.
A group of singletons in Japan who claim they were tricked into
buying apartments by real estate agents feigning a romantic interest in
them launched legal action on Wednesday.
Two men and 10
women, all aged in their 30s or early 40s, filed a lawsuit against 14
firms, including real estate agencies and loan companies, demanding a
total of 200 million yen ($1.95 million) in compensation.
According
to their lawyers, the plaintiffs had become emotionally involved with
people they met on online dating sites, with many being led to believe
they were heading toward tying the knot.
Their
intendeds, however, were more interested in pushing property and talked
each alleged victim into buying at least one condominium, with an
average price tag of 26 million yen ($254,000), the lawyers said.
Romance disappeared
Once
contracts were signed and sealed, the romance disappeared and the
estate agent skipped out of the relationship, leaving the new homeowners
with the keys to a new front door but not to anyone else's heart.
One victim was persuaded to buy three properties, the lawyers said.
"These
firms' employees made the plaintiffs buy the condominiums, taking
advantage of their romantic feelings," said lawyer Shinichi Hirasawa.
"This
is a flagrant scheme because the victims were made to purchase the real
estate sometimes at prices 30 to 40 percent above the market rate," he
said.
The National Consumer Information Center has
warned that this kind of alleged deception is becoming more common, with
42 reported victims in 2013, up from 26 in 2012.
A
trend for marrying later in Japan leaves many people, especially women,
desperate to find a match as they enter their late 30s.
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