How to Spot Fake Reviews Before You Buy
Fake reviews are now against federal rules, but they have not gone away. Eight warning signs, and what to do when you find them.
Research-based: owner feedback and public sources. How we review
In this article
Fake reviews are now against federal rules in the United States, but that has not made them disappear. You cannot prove a single review is fake from the outside, and regulators say as much. What you can do is recognise the patterns that should make you slow down, and know where else to look before you buy.
Key takeaways
- A federal rule banning fake reviews and testimonials has applied since October 21, 2024
- No single sign proves a review is fake, so look for several together
- Watch for bursts of reviews, one-review accounts and praise with no detail
- Cross-check on a second site and search the product name with the word complaint
- Report suspect reviews to the platform, then to the FTC
What the law now says
The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect on October 21, 2024. In summary, it prohibits businesses from:
- writing, selling or buying fake reviews and testimonials, including ones generated by AI or attributed to people who do not exist;
- offering payment or other incentives that depend on a review being positive or negative;
- publishing reviews from company insiders without disclosing the connection;
- presenting a website they control as an independent review site;
- suppressing negative reviews through baseless legal threats or intimidation;
- buying or selling fake followers or views to misrepresent their influence.
Courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations, and in December 2025 FTC staff sent warning letters to ten companies about possible breaches. The rule is aimed at businesses. Websites that simply host customer reviews are not required by it to check that each one is authentic, which is why the checking still falls to you.
Eight warning signs
Signs a review may not be genuine
None of these proves anything on its own. Two or three together are a reason to look elsewhere before you buy.
A burst of reviews in a short time
Dozens of reviews arriving within a few days, after months of silence, is one of the signs the FTC tells shoppers to watch for.
Accounts with a single review
If a reviewer appears to have created an account to review this one product and nothing else, treat the review with caution.
Praise with no detail
Genuine buyers mention specifics: the size they ordered, how long they have had it, what they use it for. “Great product, highly recommend!” could be about anything.
Reviews that describe a different product
If reviewers on a phone charger listing are talking about a yoga mat, reviews from another product may have been merged onto the page. The FTC has taken action over this practice, which it calls review hijacking.
Wording that sounds like the advert
Reviews that repeat the full product name, or the same marketing phrases as the listing, read differently from the way people normally write.
Incentives mentioned, or hinted at
Some sites label reviews written in exchange for a free product or a discount, but not all do, and the reviewer does not always say. A reward that depends on leaving a positive review is prohibited under the FTC rule.
Nothing but five stars
Almost every real product disappoints someone. A long run of perfect scores with no critical voices is unusual.
Believable four-star fakes
The FTC warns that some fake positive reviews deliberately give less than the top rating to look more convincing, and that fake negative reviews are sometimes posted to damage a competitor. A believable score is not proof of a real buyer.
What you cannot tell from the outside
The FTC’s own advice is frank about the limits: some reviews look suspicious and some look real, but it can be nearly impossible to tell for sure. Treat the signs above as reasons to do more checking, not as a verdict on the seller.
What to do instead of trusting the stars
- Check a second source. Look for the same product on another retailer, a specialist forum or an independent testing publication.
- Search for trouble. The FTC suggests searching the product or company name together with the word “complaint”.
- Read the critical reviews. Our guide to reading negative reviews explains how to find the patterns that matter.
- Check the return terms before you pay. If the reviews turn out to be wrong, a clear return window is your safety net. See returns, refunds and chargebacks.
- Use a checklist. Our free fake review checker walks you through the signals on a listing.
How to report a fake review
Start with the website where you saw it: most large retailers have a “report” link beside each review. If nothing happens, the FTC asks consumers to report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to include the words “fake review” in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fake reviews illegal?
In the United States, a federal rule in force since October 21, 2024 prohibits businesses from creating, buying or selling fake reviews and testimonials, and courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations.
Can I trust a Verified Purchase label?
It tells you the platform has a record of a purchase from that account, which is better than nothing. It does not tell you whether the buyer was offered an incentive, so read the text as critically as any other review.
Do fake reviews only ever say good things?
No. The FTC notes that fake negative reviews are sometimes posted to harm a competitor, and that some fake positive reviews avoid the top rating to seem more believable.
Sources
- FTC: Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials (2024)
- FTC: The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Questions and Answers
- FTC: How To Evaluate Online Reviews
- FTC: Warning letters to 10 companies about the Consumer Review Rule (December 2025)
- FTC: Final order against The Bountiful Company (review hijacking, 2023)
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