每经记者｜陈婷 每经编辑｜陈旭 在电商平台普遍推行仅退款机制的背景下，一种更隐蔽、技术化的"薅羊毛"新套路正悄然出现。 一个发货时好端端的帽子，怎么就会染上明显的污垢？买家上传的仅退款申诉照片，商品裂纹为何如此 不自然？发货时新鲜的苹果，为何会在短短几天内长满霉斑？ "真是没底线了。"社交媒体上，不少商家反馈称，部分买家存在用AI（人工智能）工具制作虚假图片 （以下简称AI假图）申请仅退款的现象，让广大商家防不胜防。 "疑似案例每天都会有，占比不算高，目前比较依赖员工用经验进行判断。"2025年12月25日，一自营电 商平台客服负责人刘恒（化名）向《每日经济新闻》记者证实了这一现象的存在。 刘恒表示，这类现象的治理难点卡在对AI假图的识别环节，"就算我们识别出来AI痕迹了，但如果客户 坚称这个商品真的有问题，我们没有实证说明客户说谎，有时也只能选择相信客户"。 类似乱象在行业内并不少见。记者近日调查发现，现阶段对AI生成假图的识别，仍高度依赖人工肉眼 甄别，即便侥幸辨识出异常，后续也往往面临举证难、追责难的现实困境。 问题随之而来：用户此类通过造假牟利的行为是否已触碰法律红线？仅退款政策为何成了某些用户"薅 ...

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the increasing issue of fraudulent refund claims in e-commerce due to the misuse of AI technology, highlighting a case where a customer used AI-generated content to deceive a seller into issuing a refund. This situation reflects a broader trend where both consumers and sellers are caught in a cycle of deception facilitated by AI tools. Group 1: Fraudulent Activities - A case in Jiangsu involved a seller who faced a refund request for "6 dead crabs," which was later revealed to be a scam using AI-generated videos [6][10] - The rise of AI image editing has made it easier for consumers to create convincing fake evidence to support refund claims, leading to significant challenges for sellers [7][12] - The cost of creating fake images has become nearly zero, allowing consumers to exploit refund policies with minimal effort [12][14] Group 2: Seller Challenges - Many sellers report that even obvious fake images are often accepted by e-commerce platforms, leading to financial losses [8][16] - The rapid approval of refund requests, sometimes within minutes, has left sellers vulnerable to fraudulent claims [10][16] - Sellers are forming mutual aid groups to share experiences and strategies for identifying fake claims and protecting their businesses [25][26] Group 3: Consumer Experience - Consumers are also facing challenges as AI-generated images can misrepresent products, leading to dissatisfaction upon receiving items that do not match their expectations [18][20] - The use of AI digital models in marketing has created confusion among consumers regarding the actual quality of products [18][23] Group 4: Regulatory Response - A commitment has been made by major e-commerce platforms to establish guidelines for the ethical use of AI technology, aiming to address the issues of fraud and misrepresentation [24][26] - Despite existing regulations, enforcement remains a challenge, and sellers often find themselves needing to fight for their rights [25][26] - E-commerce platforms are beginning to develop AI detection capabilities to combat fraudulent activities, but these measures are still in the early stages [26]

Group 1 - The core issue revolves around consumers being required to destroy products to receive refunds, highlighting a significant trust crisis in the online shopping environment [2][3] - The "only refund" policy, initially intended to eliminate low-quality products, has been misused by some consumers, leading to a detrimental impact on merchants [3][4] - Major platforms have begun to cancel or optimize the "only refund" policy since April, but it still exists in a modified form where merchants and consumers negotiate [3][4] Group 2 - The platforms hold the responsibility to create more refined rules and services regarding the "only refund" policy, rather than evading accountability [4] - Legal frameworks dictate that merchants cannot require product destruction as a condition for refunds, indicating a need for better enforcement of consumer rights [4] - The initial intent of the "only refund" policy was positive, but execution has faltered, necessitating ongoing improvements in service and rule alignment by platforms [4]

Group 1 - The controversial "refund only" policy has been completely phased out by major e-commerce platforms in April, with platforms like Taobao, Pinduoduo, JD.com, Douyin, and Kuaishou updating their after-sales rules to prioritize merchants in handling refund requests [1][3] - Taobao was the first to implement the "refund only" model in 2021, which initially boosted GMV but ultimately led to significant losses for many sellers, contributing to a wave of store closures that continues into 2025 [3][4] - The closure of numerous Taobao stores, including those of prominent influencers, reflects a broader trend of declining profitability and increasing operational challenges faced by e-commerce sellers [4][7][10] Group 2 - The rising return rates in the clothing industry have severely impacted seller confidence, with some sellers reporting return rates soaring from 30% to as high as 80% after the introduction of new policies [11][13] - High advertising costs and an increasingly competitive promotional environment have further strained the profitability of many sellers, leading to a situation where they are "losing money to gain visibility" [14][15] - Despite the challenges, some sellers are finding success through innovative models such as content e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, with examples of brands achieving significant sales growth on platforms like Douyin and TikTok [15][20][21]