Fake reviews are a problem that has been around for years, but it has become increasingly prevalent in the age of online shopping and online reviews. Fake reviews can be posted by businesses to boost their own ratings, or by competitors to drag down the ratings of other businesses. Fake reviews can also be posted by individuals who are paid to do so by companies or even by bots that are programmed to post hundreds of reviews.
Unfortunately, fake reviews can be difficult to detect, as they often appear genuine to the average consumer. They are also very difficult – but not impossible – to deal with.
It’s important to know how to identify and report fake reviews. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting fake reviews taken down.
- Check for signs of a fake review. There are a few red flags that can indicate a fake review. These include reviews that contain overly positive language, reviews with unusually high ratings, reviews that don’t contain any specifics, and reviews that are written in broken English.
- Do a reverse image search. If the review includes a profile picture, you can do a reverse image search to see if the picture is being used elsewhere. If the picture is being used on multiple sites, it’s likely a fake review.
- Contact the review site. Once you’ve identified a fake review, you should contact the review site and report it. Most review sites have processes in place to handle reports of fake reviews, and they will usually take the review down if it is found to be fraudulent.
- Contact the authorities. If the reviews are especially damaging or damaging to your business’s reputation, you should evaluate if you need to get legal advice. They will be able to advise and take certain legal action, including issuing a take down notice to the website or individual, or other stronger legal measures.
Fake reviews can be damaging to businesses, but with a few steps, you can help get them taken down. By keeping an eye out for suspicious reviews, you can help protect your business from the impact of fake reviews.
