中消协揭“情感经济”套路，建议推进情感咨询服务规范化建设

Core Insights - The article highlights the rise of "loneliness economy" and "emotional consumption," indicating that some unscrupulous businesses exploit emotionally vulnerable consumers through anxiety marketing and emotional manipulation [1] Group 1: Consumer Complaints - Complaints are characterized by high amounts, strong inducement, and clear psychological manipulation [1] - Businesses use various tactics to induce consumption, such as fabricating personas or using high-status language to promote emotional guidance services that lack substantial content [1] - Difficulty in obtaining refunds is prevalent, as businesses often refuse to refund by claiming it is a "personal decision" or impose high fees through unfair terms [1] - Complaints often involve a tiered inducement model, where initial low-cost entry leads to continuous upselling or tipping [1] Group 2: Case Study - A consumer reported being lured into purchasing emotional consultation services through a video platform, initially paying 599 yuan and later being upsold to courses costing 2,999 yuan and 8,888 yuan [2] - The services provided were primarily low-quality recorded videos, lacking personalized analysis or solutions for the consumer's emotional issues, leading to a total expenditure of 12,486 yuan [2] - The consumer's complaints included false advertising, inducement to consume, and services not aligning with contractual agreements, ultimately seeking a refund [2] Group 3: Recommendations - The consumer association suggests that relevant authorities enhance industry management, clarify the boundaries of psychological counseling, mental health treatment, and emotional consulting, and establish unified service quality assessment standards [3] - It is recommended to raise qualification requirements and training standards for personnel in the emotional consulting field to promote regulatory development [3] - Consumers are advised to remain rational regarding emotional consulting courses and to be cautious of exaggerated claims such as "guaranteed recovery" or "rapid emotional intelligence improvement" [3] - Awareness of the virtual nature of online personas is emphasized, urging consumers to think carefully before making transfers or payments to avoid falling into "gentle traps" [3]