According to The Sun , As millions of shoppers flock online for Black Friday deals, many risk falling for fake customer reviews. According to government data, one in seven online reviews is fraudulent, potentially leading customers to waste money on poor or unsafe products.
Charlotte Sheridan, founder of The Small Biz Expert, which helps businesses gain legitimate reviews, says, “Unfortunately, fake reviews are all too common, so it’s important to dig deeper, especially if you’re spending a significant amount of money.” Here’s how to spot them this Black Friday:
How Fake Reviews Happen AI-generated fake reviews are becoming increasingly common, affecting both large and small businesses. In 2023 alone, Amazon blocked 250 million fake reviews, despite its policy of “zero tolerance.” The Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Act, which takes effect in April 2025, will make companies responsible for verifying reviews and ban fraudulent ones. However, spotting fake reviews remains a challenge.
Signs of Fake Reviews
- Vague Language: Fake reviews often lack specifics. A real review will usually include personal details about product use. For example, a review for an air fryer might say, “I cooked bacon in it, and it came out crispy.” A vague comment like “great product” without details is suspicious.
- Spelling Mistakes: Poor spelling can be a sign of reviews written by someone paid to churn out content in bulk, often not in their native language.
- Short or Too Long: Reviews that are overly brief or overly detailed might be fake. Genuine reviews typically offer balanced insight without going overboard.
- Five-Star Fakes: Be cautious of five-star reviews, especially on unbranded products. Experts recommend focusing on three or four-star reviews, as these tend to provide a more realistic balance of pros and cons.
- A Flood of Reviews: A sudden surge of reviews in a short time, especially around Black Friday or new product launches, may indicate manipulated feedback.
How to Check Reviews Charlotte suggests using multiple review platforms to get a more accurate picture. Comparing reviews from sources like Trustpilot, Google, and social media can help spot inconsistencies. Additionally, tools like Fakespot from Mozilla, which works with Amazon, eBay, and Shopify, can identify false reviews.
Spotting Fake Reviewers Delve into the reviewer’s profile for further clues. If the person has only posted five-star or one-star reviews, or if they review multiple products in a short time, it could signal that the review is not genuine.
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Cold Weather Payments to Help Struggling Households
Thousands of households in over a dozen UK postcodes are set to receive £25 payments to help with heating costs as cold weather sets in. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is automatically providing this aid to eligible low-income families during periods of extreme cold until March 31.
To qualify, recipients must receive certain benefits, such as Pension Credit, Universal Credit, or Income Support. Once triggered, payments are deposited directly into bank accounts within 14 days.
Eligible postcodes that have already had cold weather include CA9-12, CA16-17, DG14, and several others. Check your bank statements for a deposit labeled “DWP CWP” to confirm receipt of the payment.
Further cold spells could trigger additional payments, with some households receiving up to £75 during the winter months. To check your eligibility, visit coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk.
E.ON to Compensate Customers Over Billing Errors
Energy supplier E.ON Next will pay £144 in compensation to 250,000 customers after an investigation by energy regulator Ofgem found the company failed to send final bills and refunds to prepayment meter customers between February 2021 and September 2023. This error, caused by a billing system fault, left some customers unaware of credit balances in their accounts.
Around 100,000 affected customers had an average of £51 left in their accounts. E.ON has contacted those impacted and will also write off debt for nearly 150,000 prepayment meter customers who closed their accounts during the affected period.
Beth Martin, director of consumer protection at Ofgem, praised E.ON for self-reporting the issue and working to resolve it, ensuring that customers are compensated fairly.
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