Companies faking their approach to the highest with bogus Google evaluations
Companies across the UK are using, according to Which?
A consumer rights group operation has revealed a “web” of paid reviewers attempting to manipulate corporate star ratings to improve their online rankings.
Which? says it has signed up with a number of companies offering “verification tampering services,” including posting fake five-star reviews.
The group found that a number of websites are openly trading in selling Google reviews through the platform itself. In addition, companies from various industries are using these services to improve their rankings on the platform – a tactic that is misleading UK consumers.
Home improvement companies, stockbrokers, and a dental office have been among the companies that have used verification services, according to the research.
Stitch operation
Which? said it had set up a “stab operation” as part of its investigation that involved creating a fake business listing under the name of “five-star ratings.”
As part of the fake listing, investigators then bought 20 Google reviews for £ 108 from a website called Reviewr. After that, researchers could choose a five-star rating for reviews posted three to five times a day.
“We even provided the exact copy for the 20 reviews – and praised the incredible service provided by our fake shop and the owner we called Catherine,” the consumer group said. “They showed up over the next week and were left behind by various Google accounts.”
The illegitimate nature of many reviews was immediately apparent, after which? A closer look at individual accounts that left verifications revealed “unlikely patterns of activity”.
It was found that 15 reviewers rated both an Edinburgh-based SEO consultancy and a London clairvoyant. Which? This is “an unlikely coincidence”.
Similarly, a Surrey-based appraiser was also found to be reviewing a local auto business while praising an electric gate company in Glasgow for the work being done on its property.
Endanger consumers
After what? The investigation found that Google has loopholes in the monitoring and monitoring of its review platform.
Fake reviews are misleading to consumers across the country and occasionally result in serious financial loss after choosing non-standard services. In one case, an apparently bogus appraiser had given a Liverpool-based attorney a five-star rating, claiming it helped a client win back £ 45,000 after fraud.
Competition for small and local businesses is fierce when trading through online platforms.
As such, fake reviews and bad actors could “jeopardize the fate of other local businesses” by paying for fake reviews that “make them skyrocket” in search rankings.
According to a 2019 survey by the FSB, a fifth of small businesses said fake or malicious reviews were among the most common challenges when trading online.
“Companies that use abbreviations to promote dishonestly are violating Google’s Terms of Service and may steal companies that act honestly. Our investigation found that in some cases they can also pose a threat to consumers, ”the report said.
Recommended
After the results were presented by Google, Which? shut down quickly.
The tech giant said the paid reviews issue is a “complex and ongoing threat” that is taking it seriously. A Google spokesperson added that it uses automated recognition systems to scan millions of reviews every day. Its systems are able to detect and remove content that violates its guidelines.
“We are investing heavily in building technologies and in establishing practices that will allow people to find reliable information on Google. Our policy clearly states that reviews must be based on real experience and information, and we monitor closely for fraudulent content 24/7 using a combination of people and technology, ”they said.
Regulatory crosshairs
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently investigating fake reviews and the Consumer Rights Group has urged the regulator to take “strong measures” against websites that do not protect consumers from fake reviews.
The CMA must also take “quick action” to close down websites that sell fake reviews. Which? added.
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