Online reviews play a big role in how we choose what to buy or which service provider to trust. Whether you're shopping for a new gadget, hiring a local contractor, or booking a holiday, chances are you're reading reviews to guide your decision. And ideally, these reviews should reflect honest feedback from real people who actually used the product or service.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Fake, misleading, or manipulated reviews are becoming more common — and they’re a problem for both consumers and legitimate businesses. When reviews are dishonest, it becomes harder to know who to trust. Even worse, fake reviews can give low-quality products an undeserved boost or unfairly harm good businesses trying to compete.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — one of the most active consumer protection agencies in the world — has taken action in numerous cases involving deceptive reviews. These include companies writing fake glowing reviews about their own products, or paying people to write positive reviews without requiring them to disclose the payment.
So how can you, as a consumer, protect yourself?
Start by asking questions about the source:
These questions help you evaluate whether the review is likely to be authentic or part of a coordinated marketing push.
While online reviews can be extremely useful, it's important to read them with a healthy dose of scepticism. The FTC and other consumer protection experts recommend using multiple sources, including platforms known for vetting reviews or publishing expert opinions. This helps balance out fake or biased content.
Here are some specific tips to help you make smarter decisions:
If you see a sudden flood of reviews posted within a very short period, it could be a sign of review manipulation — especially if they’re all positive and follow a similar structure or tone.
Click on the reviewer’s profile if possible. Have they reviewed other products or services, or does their activity seem limited to a single glowing (or scathing) review? One-time accounts may be less trustworthy.
It’s tempting to dismiss reviews that are overly positive as fake — and in some cases, they are. But some fake reviews are written to appear more authentic by giving four stars instead of five, or by including a mild complaint followed by lots of praise. Fake negative reviews are also common — sometimes used by businesses to attack competitors.
Some platforms include a badge or label (like “Incentivized Review” or “Received for Free”) to show when a reviewer got a discount, free item, or payment in exchange for their feedback. Not every reviewer will disclose this — but when you see it, take it into account. It doesn’t necessarily mean the review is fake, but you may want to weigh it differently.
Online reviews can be incredibly helpful — but only when they’re real and unbiased. As a consumer, it’s important to go beyond the star rating and dig a little deeper:
At the end of the day, critical thinking is your best defence against misleading reviews. By staying alert and informed, you can make better, more confident buying decisions — and support honest businesses that deserve your trust.