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UK businesses bought fake Google reviews from firms found in search results: Report
The consumer group has urged the regulator to take swift and effective action to stop sites from trading or facilitating the trading of fake reviews.
A consumer group has exposed a web of paid-for reviewers providing fake reviews to dozens of UK businesses listings on Google, ranging from home improvement companies to a stockbroker. The consumer group, Which?, set up a fake company and bought bogus reviews to probe how some businesses are opting for shortcuts to build a good customer rating.
Notably, companies selling Google reviews in bulk were all easily found in the tech giant’s own search results, the report said. Which? created a fake business listing called Five Star Reviews and bought 20 Google reviews for around $150 from a site named Reviewr. The firm providing paid-for reviews claimed to offer “100% permanent reviews” that won’t be deleted and the investigators even got the option to choose a star rating of their liking for each review.
The Google accounts, which were used to plant the fake reviews, had reviewed similar businesses all around the country. Nearly 50 companies, including a stockbroker, a dentist, a London estate agent, and a bakery in Edinburgh, had at least three reviewers in common, suggesting that these businesses paid the same company to post “glowing appraisals”.
“Companies that are taking shortcuts to rise up the ranks dishonestly are in breach of Google's terms of use, and may well steal business from those operating honestly. Our investigation revealed that, in some cases, they may pose a threat to consumers, too,” the report said, elaborating on the risk of fake reviews.
A stockbroker in Canary Wharf had reportedly received a lot of negative reviews as many wrote “shockingly poor customer service” and one of the reviewers claimed to have lost £27,000 worth of investment because the business acted against his wishes. Between two to four months prior to the investigation, the stockbroker received 30 five star reviews in quick succession. Which? was able to link many of the reviewers identified in the investigation.
Google told Which? that it uses automatic detection systems to filter out fake reviews but admitted that the automated systems aren’t perfect. "Our policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences and information, and we closely monitor 24/7 for fraudulent content, using a combination of people and technology,” a Google spokesperson was quoted by the consumer group as saying.
In its report, Which? has called on the competition and markets authority (CMA) to take strong action against sites that host reviews if they find that they are failing to prevent fake reviews from flooding their platforms. It has also urged the regulator to take swift and effective action to stop sites from trading or facilitating the trading of fake reviews.
