[co-author: Stephanie Kozol]

In his most recent monthly column, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein shared insights on how customers can avoid falling prey to fake online reviews. Although AG Stein acknowledged that online reviews can be useful when deciding which products to buy or services to use, he cautioned that not all reviews are written by real people. In fact, many highly rated products or services consist of fake reviews, which could inaccurately reflect the quality of a product or service and lead to poor purchasing decisions. According to the statement, in 2021 alone, fake online reviews influenced a staggering $152 billion in online spending.

AG Stein listed ways by which customers can spot fake reviews and avoid deception by fake or biased reviews. AG Stein recommended customers to be wary of (1) multiple reviews of the same product submitted within a short period of time, (2) reviews consisting of poor grammar, and/or (3) a single reviewer who leaves the same review about multiple different products or services or only has one review. AG Stein also urged customers to do their own research, as well as check the Better Business Bureau and/or contact the AG’s Consumer Protection Section regarding any complaints lodged against the company’s products and services.

AG Stein criticized companies that obtain fake reviews written by their own employees or hire others to write fake reviews, and commended eBay for allowing customers to report fake reviews to the retailers. AG Stein also encouraged customers to report suspected fake reviews, so platforms can remove them to protect other shoppers.

Why It Matters

As state AGs continue to crack down on fake reviews and other scams — whether puppy scams or romance scams — companies, particularly e-commerce retailers that facilitate business-to-consumer sales, should ensure the authenticity of their reviews, as well as implement mechanisms for customers to report fake reviews.