Amazon experiences rise in fake reviews on website
(NBC) - Amazon is experiencing a rise in fake reviews this holiday season.
As you hunt for holiday bargains, make sure you don't fall prey to fake reviews!
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal says there are hundreds of them!
"Almost half of all those reviews you see on Amazon are fake and false."
Blumenthal wrote to amazon saying that while it "has taken steps to curb these false reviews, it is abundantly clear that the company is not doing enough."
Furthermore, Blumenthal added that "as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the practice has become ever more rampant"
Amazon responds
Amazon tells News 4 that the company uses industry-leading tools to detect and block fake reviews.
Not only that, the company "proactively stopped more than 200 million suspected fake reviews in 2020 alone."
"However, the nefarious business of brokering fake reviews remains an industry-wide problem."
Amazon says its policies prohibit abuse among reviews, including offering incentives like gift cards for a positive review.
FTC tips
In the meantime, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has these tips for spotting fake reviews:
- Look for information about a product from a variety of sources.
- Watch for a sudden burst of reviews that can be a tell-tale sign of fraud, and remember that a negative review could also be fake...to harm a competitor.
- If you spot a fake review, Amazon says you should use the "Report" link on a product page so they can investigate.
