London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 18, 2025

Christmas shoppers warned about fake online reviews - here's how to protect yourself

Christmas shoppers warned about fake online reviews - here's how to protect yourself

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is leading an investigation into fake reviews, which includes a formal probe into Amazon and Google over concerns they have not been doing enough to combat false write-ups left on their sites.

UK shoppers have been urged to look out for fake online reviews over the Christmas period.

People across the country have bought an estimated 80 million items on the basis of positive online reviews only to be disappointed when they arrive, National Trading Standards (NTS) has said.

It added that consumer trust in online reviews is fuelling a surge in criminals using them to sell poor quality goods and services.

A total of 56% of online shoppers use online reviews as a deciding factor when making a purchase and 67% are more like to buy a product or service if it has a five-star rating, a survey for NTS suggests.

However, NTS found just one in five people check the timing and spacing of reviews online and only 18% look at reviewers' activity history, which can provide useful information about whether they are genuine.

Here are six tips from National Trading Standards to avoid falling for fake online reviews:


*  Timing and spacing - check for multiple similar reviews that have been uploaded within a few minutes or hours.

*  Check the reviewer's activity - if an account has been activated recently or has only reviewed a narrow range of products/services, it could indicate suspicious activity.

*  Vague language - legitimate reviews will often be personal and specific to the individual's experience. A fake is more likely to be vague, using generic words and phrases such as 'amazing', 'awesome' and 'buy this product'.

*  Check contact details - if a reviewer is happy to be contacted with questions, and is responsive, it's a good sign they're legitimate.

*  Use a browser plug-in - they use artificial intelligence to analyse reviews, identify suspicious activity and suggest better alternatives. Examples are Fakespot and ReviewMeta.

*  Look beyond the star rating - whilst a star rating of 4.5 or 5 can be a good quality indicator, be sure to look at the reviews too.

Fake online reviews are estimated to potentially influence £23 billion of UK consumer spending every year, according to government figures.

An investigation into fake reviews is already being conducted by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which includes a formal probe into Amazon and Google over concerns they have not been doing enough to combat false write-ups posted on their sites.

Last year, Facebook, Instagram and eBay removed groups and banned individuals for buying and selling fake reviews, following action taken by the CMA.

"Bogus online reviews damage legitimate businesses and prop up those seeking to make a fast buck by selling shoddy goods," said NTS eCrime team national co-ordinator Mike Andrews.

"Many of those we surveyed said they felt deceived, conned and tricked after unwittingly falling for the fakes, often only realising the reviews were suspicious when it was too late.

"We urge those doing their Christmas shopping online to look out for fake online reviews and avoid being left out of pocket by using our tips."

Anyone who fears they have been the victim of an online scam should report it to actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Tech Giants Pledge Billions to UK AI Infrastructure Following Starmer's Call
Saudi Arabia cracks down on music ‘lounges’ after conservative backlash
DeepMind and OpenAI Achieve Gold at ‘Coding Olympics’ in AI Milestone
SEC Allows Public Companies to Block Investors from Class-Action Lawsuits
Saudi Arabia Signs ‘Strategic Mutual Defence’ Pact with Pakistan, Marking First Arab State to Gain Indirect Access to Nuclear Strike Capabilities in the Region
Federal Reserve Cuts Rates by Quarter Point and Signals More to Come
Effective and Impressive Generation Z Protest: Images from the Riots in Nepal
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Sam Altman sells the 'Wedding Estate' in Hawaii for 49 million dollars
Trump: Cancel quarterly company reports and settle for reporting once every six months
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
US Launches New Pilot Program to Accelerate eVTOL Air Taxi Deployment
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
×