Spotting fake reviews before you buy
A product with 4.8 stars and thousands of glowing reviews feels safe to buy. But some of those reviews may be paid for, written by the seller’s own staff, or made by bots. Fake reviews push poor products, fake apps and even scam shops to the top.
Why fake reviews exist
Higher ratings mean more sales. Some sellers pay people to post five-star reviews, give free products in exchange for good ones, or post bad reviews on a rival’s page. “Task” scams even pay people small amounts to write reviews before trapping them (see part-time job and task scams).
AI makes this easier: it can write hundreds of different-sounding reviews in seconds.
Signs a review may be fake
- Lots of reviews in a short time, especially for a new product or seller.
- Very short, very general praise: “Best product!!”, “Very nice, must buy”, with nothing about how the person actually used it.
- Same phrases repeated across many reviews, or reviews that talk about a different product.
- Only 5-star and 1-star reviews, with nothing in between.
- No “verified purchase” label, or reviewers who have reviewed dozens of unrelated things on the same day.
- Reviews that push you off the platform: “Contact the seller on WhatsApp for a better price.”
How to read reviews smartly
- Read the 3-star and 2-star reviews first. They’re usually the most honest and detailed.
- Sort by “most recent”. A product can get worse after the good reviews were written.
- Look at photos and videos from buyers, not just the seller’s pictures.
- Check the seller, not only the product: how long they’ve been selling, and their own rating.
- Compare with reviews on another site or a video review from someone you trust.
What India’s standard says
In November 2022, the Bureau of Indian Standards published IS 19000:2022 on online consumer reviews. It says reviews that are bought, or where the reviewer gets a reward, must be clearly marked as such, and that reviews written by people employed by the seller for that purpose shouldn’t be published. The standard was voluntary when it was launched. Misleading reviews can also count as an unfair trade practice under consumer protection law.
If you were misled
If a product was very different from what its listing and reviews promised, report it in the shopping app first. If that doesn’t work, you can complain to the National Consumer Helpline on 1915. If the “shop” was a scam that took your money, call 1930.
Remember: reviews are a clue, not a guarantee. A deal that only looks good because of hundreds of perfect reviews deserves a second look.
Go deeper
- Article Govt announces new norms to curb fake online reviews ↗ · Business Today
- Official Report cyber fraud (or call 1930) ↗ · Ministry of Home Affairs
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