Amazon Prime Day: 5 tips to spot fake reviews on Amazon during sales

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Amazon Prime Day is the perfect opportunity to grab yourself a scorching summer bargain. But experts are warning customers to be vigilant for fake reviews, so you don’t end up with a dud. 

The online retail giant has recently taken action to crack down on fraudsters and take legal action against multiple companies founded solely to sell fake reviews. It comes as Prime Day is set to run from Tuesday, 16 July to Wednesday, 17 July. 

Kyle Eaton, money.co.uk business insurance expert, said: “Fake reviews can be hard to spot, but they pose a significant problem for businesses and consumers. They erode trust in companies and could lead to you wasting money on a product or service that doesn’t measure up to the hype. Knowing how to spot fake reviews is essential to avoid these issues.”

This article’s author was caught out by fake reviews on Amazon last year, buying a dehumidifier which had no way to be turned on. So if you don’t want to end up like that, here’s some expert tips to avoid getting duped by fake reviews: 

Look at the language

Money.co.uk’s Kyle Eaton explains: “Typically, genuine reviewers won’t entirely love or hate a product or service, which will show in the language they use in their reviews. Fake reviews, on the other hand, will often use extreme language. This could mean you end up disappointed when the product or service doesn’t meet your expectations. 

“Be wary of overly positive or negative language in reviews that don’t provide enough detail about the product or service. Look for generic phrases that can be used for any product or service. Genuine reviews will highlight specific features or experiences with the product.” 

Detailed descriptions

Kyle Eaton adds: “Many consumers spend time carefully researching products and services. Fake reviews can waste this effort as they are based on bad faith information. With this in mind, check the level of detail in reviews. 

“Fake reviews often lack detail or are vague about the product or service, so look out for this. A review could be fake if it doesn’t mention specific product or service features. Conversely, genuine reviews will feature specific details about customer service experiences or particular experiences.” 

Check the reviewer’s history

The expert continues: “Misleading positive reviews can push you to make impulse purchases and, ultimately, buyer’s remorse when it doesn’t deliver. To prevent this, check the post history of some reviewers. Authentic reviewers will have a varied history of reviews of different products and services. 

“You might spot a fake reviewer if you check their history, and they consistently post positive or negative reviews of a company, product, or service. Also, check how frequently they post reviews. If they’ve posted a lot quickly, this could also indicate fake reviews.

Compare review sites

Money.co.uk Kyle Eaton said: “Constant exposure to fake reviews can make you sceptical, and you might miss out on good products thanks to doubts about their authenticity. So, to combat this, check product reviews across multiple platforms, as consistency is a good indicator of authenticity. Similarly, significant differences in the content of reviews across different review sites could indicate fake reviews. 

Check the ratings

The expert explains: “Products with genuine reviews usually have a mix of positive and negative reviews. Check if the product has an unusually high rating without many mediocre or negative reviews. This could indicate the presence of fake reviews. You can also spot a fake review if a product has a sudden spike in positive reviews. This shows a company has paid for positive reviews, as authentic reviews take time to build up. Fake reviews that overhype products could mean you’re out of pocket with something that fails to deliver on its promises.”

If you are wondering if Amazon Prime Day deals have ever lived up to the hype, we took a dive into years gone by to find seven of the best bargains the company has offered. You can read the full story here.