A Japanese e-commerce company is banning the sales of ultrasound photographs and other similar materials after the images were allegedly used to trick men into sending women money for ‘abortions’.
According to a report by JP News, the platform, Mercari, shared a statement to announce the ban on the sales of ultrasound pictures and any similar materials.
They wrote, “At Mercari, we determine what items are prohibited from being listed in accordance with the terms of use and guidelines set out in the ‘Basic Principles of the Marketplace’.”
“The listing and sale of ultrasound images of fetuses and similar items will be removed from September 1, 2025, as they fall under the category of ‘items deemed inappropriate’ as prohibited items as defined by Mercari and Mercari Shops.”
Potential scam
Nikkei, on the other hand, reported on how the various ultrasound images found on the e-commerce platform had caused concern among Japanese netizens, with many pointing out that the images were used in pregnancy fraud scams.
The listings on Mercari even allowed for people to customise ultrasound images with names and dates, making potential pregnancy scams seem realistic.
While many also highlighted that ultrasound image listings could still be found on Mercari following their statement banning the sales, a quick search today (August 26) showed that the listings have since been taken down.
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