National Trading Standards (NTS) are warning the public that criminals are using fake online reviews to sell poor quality goods and services.
It has become a common practice for a lot of people to seek reviews prior to making a purchase, but how do we know whether the reviews we read are genuine?
The following guidance is from NTS:
• Timing and spacing – check for multiple similar reviews that have been uploaded within a few minutes or hours.
• Check the reviewer’s activity – if an account has been activated recently or has only reviewed a narrow range of products/services, it could indicate suspicious activity.
• Vague language – legitimate reviews will often be personal and specific to the individual’s experience. A fake is more likely to be vague, using generic words and phrases such as ‘amazing’, ‘awesome’ and ‘buy this product’.
• Check contact details – if a reviewer is happy to be contacted with questions, and is responsive, it’s a good sign they’re legitimate.
• Use a browser plug-in – they use artificial intelligence to analyse reviews, identify suspicious activity and suggest better alternatives. Examples are Fakespot and ReviewMeta.
• Look beyond the star rating – whilst a star rating of 4.5 or 5 can be a good quality indicator, be sure to look at the reviews too.
For further information and advice visit Online shoppers buy 80 million ‘disappointing’ items based on rave reviews – National Trading Standards
