Fake Reviews & Deceptive Ads
Reviews and ads shape what we buy: tools, safety gear, contractors, even courses and medical products. But some reviews are fake, and some ads are built to trick you. Spotting them helps you avoid wasted money, counterfeit safety gear and scams.
- Online Shoppers
- Workers
- Homeowners
- Small Business Owners
What fake reviews look like
- Too perfect: a flood of five-star reviews, all posted within a few days, using similar words and phrases.
- Vague and generic: “Great product! Fast shipping!” with no detail about use, problems or comparisons.
- Over-the-top language: lots of exclamation points, brand names repeated, or praise that sounds like marketing copy.
- Reviewer histories that don't fit: accounts with only one review, many reviews for unrelated products from the same seller, or reviews in odd languages.
- Paid or incentivized reviews that don't say they were paid, or reviews written by the seller, relatives or a hired “review farm.”
- Review swapping or gifts: offers of refunds or free items in exchange for five stars.
- Reviews of the wrong product, moved from another listing by a seller who changed the item.
- Fake negative reviews posted to hurt competitors.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a rule banning fake and misleading consumer reviews and testimonials, including buying or selling fake reviews, with civil penalties for violations. Many platforms also ban them but can't catch all.
How to read reviews smartly
- Read the 3-star and 2-star reviews first. They're often the most detailed and honest.
- Look for specific details, photos and long-term use. Real reviewers describe problems and how the product held up.
- Check the timing and the spread of ratings. A sudden jump in five-star reviews is suspicious.
- Look for “verified purchase” labels, but know they can also be gamed.
- Compare across several sources: the manufacturer, independent testing sites, trade forums, professional associations and people you know.
- For safety equipment such as helmets, harnesses and respirators, look for standards markings (ANSI, ASTM, NIOSH approval numbers) and check them with the certifier, not just reviews. See Counterfeit PPE and Buying PPE.
- For contractors and services, verify licenses and insurance. See Hiring Contractors.
Deceptive ads and sponsored posts
- Influencers and creators must clearly disclose paid or free-product relationships (#ad, #sponsored, “paid partnership”), in a way that's easy to see and not hidden among hashtags. A post that raves about a product without telling you it was paid may break FTC rules.
- Search ads and sponsored listings appear at the top of results, often labeled “Ad” or “Sponsored,” and can include imitation sites that copy a real brand or government service. Scroll past them when you want an official page.
- “Too good to be true” offers: huge discounts, countdown timers, “only 2 left,” free trials that need a card, and miracle claims. See Online Shopping.
- Fake endorsements and deepfakes: ads using celebrity images, doctors' names or news-style layouts to sell products or investments. See Deepfakes & AI Scams and Crypto & Investment Scams.
- Subscription traps: trials that quietly turn into recurring charges that are hard to cancel. Read terms and use a virtual or limited card if possible.
- Fake training and certification ads: sites that sell OSHA “cards” or safety certificates that aren't real. See Fake Training Cards.
Check the seller
- Search the company name plus “scam,” “complaints” or “reviews”, and look at the Better Business Bureau and state consumer agencies.
- Check the website address carefully for misspellings and odd endings, look for a real address, phone number and return policy, and see how long the domain has existed. See Safe Browsing.
- Be careful with new shops and drop-shipping sites that use stolen photos and ship low-quality goods.
- Pay with a credit card or a payment method with buyer protection, and avoid wire transfers, gift cards and payment apps for strangers. See Payment App Scams.
Report and protect yourself
- Report fake reviews to the platform (Amazon, Google, Yelp and others), and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If you were scammed, contact your card issuer to dispute charges, change passwords and monitor accounts. See Reporting Cybercrime.
- If you write reviews, be honest, disclose any free products or payment, and don't write fakes. Owners shouldn't offer rewards for positive reviews only.
Fake review checklist
- I read the middle-star reviews and look for details and photos
- I compare across independent sources, not just the seller's page
- I check that safety gear shows real certification marks
- I look for #ad disclosures and don't trust unlabeled endorsements
- I pay by credit card and report fake reviews and scams
Standards & references
Last updated: