5 Signs That Tell A Review Is Fake

August 13, 2025

Are we really to trust all 5-star reviews on a business profile?

On one hand, where reviews play a critical role in decision making, they can also be misleading, providing false information. Businesses often face the struggle of dealing with fake reviews online. If the reviews are positive, businesses have not much to lose, but if their profile is bombed with fake negative reviews, it’s concerning.

The best step here that businesses can take is to inform their potential customers how to spot a genuine review from a fake one. In this blog, we will help you discover 5 signs that tell a review is fake. Let’s get into it -

Look for Specificity in Review

If the review is not specific, it’s most likely from a spam reviewer. Writing a review in a generic manner like “Good company”, “Good Service”, etc, doesn’t add any value for customers. Without specific details about the service, product or their experience, it screams “FAKE”!

Too Many 5-Star Reviews

Many businesses indulge in the practice of getting paid writers to provide positive reviews on their sites. It was not that common a few years ago, but with new companies entering into market, they need reviews to gain traction from customers. They also want reviews to establish a certain business reputation. Hence, a string of 5-star reviews may not be genuine.

Reviewer’s Credibility is ZERO

It’s important to look into the reviewer before you trust their review. Their credibility can be questionable. But before judging too harshly, do check the reviewer’s history of writing reviews on different business profiles.

Overly Positive or Overly Negative Review is a Red Alert

Look for patterns in the reviews. If they are highly positive or overly negative, it may be a fake review. Many anonymous reviewers use AI tools to write sophisticated positive and negative reviews. You can locate some repetitive, obvious words and phrases in the review that scream AI.

Sudden Wave of Bulk Reviews

You should check the date and timing of the reviews. Often, a sudden influx of positive or negative reviews fills the business profile. They may be insincere or through a paid review system.

To Sum Up

To find genuine reviews, you should look into the reviewer, date and time of the review. The tone and structure of the review will determine if it is coming from a genuine customer/reviewer or not. To truly understand the standing of a business, you can check reviews at VirtuousReviews. They provide information on top online services, top software companies, and much more.

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