Probably no other form of online fraud affects more people than fake online reviews.

And review sites and tech companies do too little to combat it.

Fake Review Fraud

Fake reviews harm consumers & distort the small business economy

Consumers rely heavily on online reviews – and studies show most people trust them.

But many businesses, including doctors and home contractors, buy fake 5-star reviews.

A huge ecosystem exists across social media for buying & selling reviews.

ACCO’s Kay Dean learned about review fraud after becoming a victim herself

“After a negative experience with a medical practice, I dug deep into their online reviews, and realized the practice was faking the very Yelp reviews that convinced me to go there in the first place. I don’t mean just fake five star ratings, I mean fake stories from people who claimed they were helped by this practice.”

Kay Dean, former federal investigator and founder of  Fake Review Watch

Fake Review Watch runs this YouTube Channel where you can learn more. 

It’s free to download a pdf copy, but please consider making a $10 donation towards our research.

DOWNLOAD THE REVIEW FRAUD FACT SHEET

More Information: 

Fake Review Watch (website)

Fake Review Watch (YouTube) 

Kay Dean’s editorial on Medium

Fake Medical Reviews on Today Show

Fake Negative Reviews on Fox 26 Houston

Time Magazine on Fake Reviews 

New York Times on Fake Review Fraud

FTC Penalties for Fake Reviews

USG considering consequences for review fraud

Media Coverage

Featured
An inside look at fake online reviews for doctors and dentists
An inside look at fake online reviews for doctors and dentists

Reporting for TODAY, NBC’s Kate Snow investigates fake online reviews for medical professionals. She also explains what to look for, including identical reviews and additional details about the doctors.

Is that online review real? Don’t count on tech firms to inform you about fakes
Is that online review real? Don’t count on tech firms to inform you about fakes

Tech companies and review sites have shown little incentive to clean up fraudulent reviews on their own. Perhaps they need a legislative push.

‘Cheating Is Rewarded': Some Yelp Elite Reviews May Be Fake
‘Cheating Is Rewarded': Some Yelp Elite Reviews May Be Fake

A few years back, Yelp launched its Elite Squad. Here's what the I-Team learned about when quick cash is too easy to turn down.

The Trusted Yelp ‘Elite’ Reviewers Who Sell Their Reviews for Cash
The Trusted Yelp ‘Elite’ Reviewers Who Sell Their Reviews for Cash

Yelp “Elite” reviewers are verified members of the site who are supposed to be more trustworthy than ordinary users. Some of them are selling their reviews to businesses around the country.

The Lucrative, Shady Market in Fake Reviews
The Lucrative, Shady Market in Fake Reviews

Technology Journalist Laura Sydell takes a deep dive into the trade in fake reviews that engages doctors, small businesses, and pizza shops too across Yelp, Facebook and Google. She's guided on her journey by former fraud investigator Kay Dean, whose own encounter with fake reviews took her deep into the world of Black Hat Marketing

Fake patient reviews are making it increasingly hard to seek medical help on Google, Yelp and other directory sites
Fake patient reviews are making it increasingly hard to seek medical help on Google, Yelp and other directory sites

From rehab centers to family doctors, patients trying to find good medical care are increasingly finding fake consumer reviews — and there are no signs of an imminent crackdown.