Fake Google Reviews And Listings – Be Wary
November 25, 2021
November 25, 2021
Good customer reviews are one of the most important lead acquisition tools used by companies to attract customers. However, as much as it benefits the companies, it has become an epidemic for Google.
There is a web of paid reviewers providing fake reviews to companies and firms ranging from home improvement companies to stockbrokers. Many groups are found to be setting up fake companies and buying bogus reviews.
Although Google is working on fixing its anti-spam algorithm, online studies suggest that a good chunk of Google reviews are either bogus or not written by genuine customers. Since these reviews are considered helpful for the massive consumer base that uses Google to skim businesses, these fake reviews are creating a major problem for legit companies whose reputation is often first based on what potential customers read online.
In addition, rivals and former employees have been known to buy Google reviews and post negative or fake reviews for certain businesses. The situation is even worse for companies that don’t have many reviews to start with. It is not easy for prospective customers to recognize which feedback is fraudulent and which is real.
In this blog, we are going to talk about how CBC Marketplace was able to uncover almost 80 fake reviews and listings on Google and what to look out for to spot fake reviews.
Last year, CBC’s Marketplace received a complaint from a middle-aged man regarding receiving a very high bill for a mere lock replacement. Moreover, the locksmith was not even from the company the man contacted via Google.
This raised suspicion and Marketplace decided to head to the physical location the locksmith had listed on Google. Turns out, the address listed on Google Maps was home to just an empty lot.
This led to the discovery of Locksmith Experts Corp. that was responding to all the service calls being made to several locksmith companies including Birchmount Locksmith, Brampton Locksmith, Rouge Locksmith, and Port Credit Locksmith.
Upon further investigation, they found that on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) the Locksmith Experts Corp. was listed as having an F rating and 11 complaints. This hinted at a pattern of unresolved complaints against the company. Similarly, on Yelp, it had nine negative reviews.
All their previous dissatisfied customers complained of unexpectedly high bills and, at times, shoddy workmanship. Surprisingly, after the Locksmith Experts’ Gabriel Gur was confronted, he accepted that they had unhappy customers but he clearly said that he did not create those fake listings.
CBC Marketplace found that in the Greater Toronto Area, fake locksmith locations are flooding the market on Google Maps. More than 80 locksmith locations in the Greater Toronto area were uncovered as fake.
As far as the reviews are concerned, many of the five-star reviews were to be found fake. The stolen images used on profiles of the fake reviewers belonged to real-life professors, doctors, and real estate agents with public profiles on other pages.
Similarly, recently, a consumer group in the UK exposed a web of paid-for reviewers providing fake reviews to dozens of UK businesses listings on Google. The group unveiled nearly 50 companies that were buying 5-star reviews.
Falling prey to fake reviews is not uncommon. Many people have been ensnared by companies who are conveniently buying fake reviews instead of providing good services. They not only charge you more than the required amount but also provide sub-par services that cause inconvenience.
Although there is no tried and tested way of spotting fake reviews, there are a few telltales that might help you in developing a better eye for fake reviews. These are:
At AKRoN Roofing, we appreciate all of our customers and are very grateful to those who take time to provide their feedback online. Our integrity and honesty is of utmost importance and we respond to our customer’s reviews. We also pursue removal of any reviews from profiles we do not recognize.
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