SHOPPING SCAM
How to spot fake reviews as shoppers post false write-ups in exchange for cash
An investigation by Which? reveals how easy it is for shoppers to post fake reviews in exchange for freebies and discounts from retailers
SHOPPERS are being conned into buying items online based on fake, paid-for reviews, Which? has revealed.
The consumer group investigated how easy it is for sellers to bypass the rules and offer free products in exchange for false and highly-rated reviews.
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Around 97 per cent of shoppers rely on reviews before buying online, with three in 10 (31 per cent) being disappointed after a product didn't live up to the excellent feedback.
Which? found Facebook groups with tens of thousands of members dedicated to retailers offering free or discounted goods for excellent reviews in return.
Under the guise of a mystery shopper, the consumer group tested how easy it was to blag a freebie and joined the groups.
It found five retailers were eager to use them which instructed them to buy a specific product on Amazon, review it and then send a link to it once it was published.
How to spot a fake review
HERE'S advice from Which? on how to avoid falling for a fake review and making a purchase you'll regret:
Don't rely on ratings – delve deeper and read the reviews. Do they sound natural? Are the too long or short? Are they repetitive?
Check the dates – look at when the reviews were posted. If many of them were posted in a short time period, it might mean there has been a push for reviews on Facebook groups or other platforms.
Impartial reviews – click on some reviewers and check their history. Do they give everything five stars? What else have they bought? If they've bought multiple of the same type of product in the space of a couple of months, they might be a member of a review group.
Difference of opinion – if people are praising an aspect or feature of the product that others are highly critical of, it might be suspicious.
Pattern of ratings – are the ratings at different ends of the scale with very little in between? It's rare that people are completely polarised about a product.
They then promised to refund the cost via Paypal.
The investigator gave honest reviews - so not all of them were positive - and found that only three of the retailers actually refunded the cash.
One retailer demanded that the shopper change the two-star review for a smart-watch as the item was free so it "is the default to give five-star evaluation".
Another promised money back after a five-star review was posted and refused to give a refund when a three-star rating was published.
One of the retailers couldn't be contacted.
After Which? shared its findings with Amazon, the retailer said: "We do not permit reviews in exchange for compensation of any kind, including payment.
"Customers and sellers must follow our review guidelines and those that don't will be subject to action including potential termination of their account."
Facebook said: "Facilitating or encouraging the trade of fake user reviews is not permitted on Facebook.
"We urge people to use our reporting tools to flag content they suspect may violate our standards so that we can take swift action."
Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: "Sellers are effectively ripping people off with paid-for reviews.
"They don't represent an honest and impartial opinion, but instead mislead people into buying products that they might have otherwise avoided.
"We all like to do research before buying something. Watch out for unscrupulous sellers and use independent review sites to make sure you're getting the products you want."
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