Fake reviews are one of the biggest threats to online trust.
In 2026, regulators are cracking down — but manipulation still happens.
If you rely on reviews to make purchasing decisions, you need to know what to look for.
Common Signs of Fake Reviews
1. Overly Generic Language
- “Amazing service!”
- “Highly recommend!”
- No specific details.
Real reviews mention:
- Delivery time
- Customer support experience
- Product-specific feedback
2. Suspicious 5-Star Dominance
If a company has:
- 95% 5-star reviews
- Almost no 3- or 4-star reviews
That may signal manipulation.
Natural businesses have balanced distributions.
3. Sudden Review Spikes
If 200 reviews appear within 24 hours — that’s unusual.
Organic growth is gradual.
4. Identical Phrasing
Repetitive sentence structures or keywords are strong red flags.
How Platforms Should Prevent Fake Reviews
A trustworthy review platform should:
- Analyse rating distribution
- Detect velocity anomalies
- Track reviewer history
- Penalise unnatural patterns
How Rated Stores Detects Manipulation
Rated Stores uses:
- Weighted scoring
- Distribution analysis
- Behaviour pattern modelling
Instead of trusting averages, we evaluate authenticity.
Final Thoughts
Fake reviews damage both consumers and honest businesses.
Learning how to spot them protects your money — and your trust.
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