Fake reviews are a big problem for Amazon shoppers, and they’re particularly problematic when it comes to shopping during Prime Day. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools and tips that can help you avoid fake reviews.
For starters, you can use a free review analysis tool like Fakespot to scan reviews for signs of fraud. For example, if you notice many five-star reviews on a particular product within days of one another, the chances are high that those reviews are fake. Fakespot can also show you the names of reviewers that it believes are unreliable or fake, as well as tell you why.
Obviously, you should also read each review in detail and look for red flags such as spelling errors and vague, unsubstantiated claims. If a reviewer sounds robotic or doesn’t include any real emotion, that’s another indication that it could be fake. Reviewers who sound excited, enthused, or angry about a product are much more likely to be genuine. Finally, look at the reviewer’s other ratings. If they’re only reviewing five-star products and are a new user, that’s an obvious sign that they’re spamming their rating to boost the seller’s sales.
If you’re really skeptical, you can even go a step further by checking the reviewer’s profile. You can do this by clicking on the reviewer’s name and then opening their profile. If you see a lot of positive five-star reviews from the same user on different products, that’s another clear indicator of fake ratings.
You should also pay attention to the date that each review was posted. If several of the reviews were written and published on the same day, that’s a good sign that the reviews may be fake. It’s worth mentioning that there are some legitimate reasons for having multiple reviews for the same product, but it should be rare.
Of course, even if you’re able to spot some of the more common fake review indicators, it’s still possible that one or two fake ratings can skew a product’s overall rating. In that case, you’ll want to use the report abuse button to bring the issue to Amazon’s attention. Hopefully, the company will continue to work on ways to reduce these fraudulent ratings, as it hurts not just customers but also retailers and manufacturers who’re trying to sell a quality product.