Sharp consumers often turn to online reviews before making a big purchase, but are all of those reviews what they seem?
The Better Business Bureau said 88 percent of consumers rely on reviews, so learning what details could indicate a fake one is key.
"We all don't have the education, all you have to do is watch some TV and see that people don't always speak proper English, myself included," said Dottie Callina with the BBB North Georgia. "Maybe there might be one spelling or grammar mistake, but if there's a lot of them, I would discount that." She said that can indicate the review originated in a non-English speaking country.
But perfect English and more can be a sign too. "If it's long and detailed, it gets specific - like item number, spec number, things like that - these are usually people who are paid by companies to write reviews. And, they kind of have an anonymous profile, recently created, if you want go that in depth looking at it. But if you see something that tells you nuts to bolts, everything about a product and then ends it saying 'this is the best product I've ever used,' that is probably a paid reviewer from a company."
Callina says look out for reviews that sound scripted, both positive and negative. And while positive reviews could essentially be paid ads, the negative reviews sometimes aren't what the seem, either.
"You need to look out for if [the reviews] are just negative all the time, could it be somebody that's just being paid to write a negative or dishonest review? Or could it be a company that's actually paying someone to disparage their competitor? And you just think in your head, 'well, I don't know that' and I couldn't tell you that either. I know that at BBB, we vet them," Callina said. She encouraged those interested in a product or service with suspicious reviews to contact the company and ask how their reviews are posted.
And, many businesses are reviewed and verified by the Better Business Bureau. "On every business profile, consumers can leave a customer review. But we vet it to the point that if the customer cannot prove they did business with the company they're reviewing, then we will not post it," said Callina. Some of the vetting includes the customer sharing receipts and contacting the business to confirm a transaction.
Callina encourages consumers relying on reviews to educate themselves to safe online practices. That includes checking reviews for any sort of verification, or if the profile of the reviewer is developed. And, watch for websites that use algorithms to suppress bad product reviews.
While it seems like a fake review can be harmless, Callina said the risk is higher than just disappointment regarding a product.
"Worst case scenario, say... a new product has come out and people are posting fake reviews and the product is not safe, and people are buying it just based on that," said Callina, adding that many people purchase items from overseas.
"In the United States we have oversight for products to make sure it's safe. Do they in China? I don't know, and people are saying this product is perfect, never had an issue with it. Especially if it's a toy and you get it home for your child and then find out it's not safe."
Dottie said beyond a worst case scenario of a dangerous product, the subject of fake reviews hits an ethical line.
"If you have companies that are giving out false reviews - and let's just go ahead and add dishonest people in that category - it's giving people a false sense of security that what they're about to purchase may be perfect for them, when in fact it may be the opposite."
Callina said not only can consumers check verified reviews on BBB.org, but they can also leave a review for companies they've worked with and report if a company isn't doing what they should.
