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| Amazon 'flooded by fake five-star reviews' - Which? report | Amazon 'flooded by fake five-star reviews' - Which? report |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Online retail giant Amazon's website is flooded with fake five-star reviews for products from unfamiliar brands, consumer group Which? has claimed. | Online retail giant Amazon's website is flooded with fake five-star reviews for products from unfamiliar brands, consumer group Which? has claimed. |
| Household names were largely absent from top-rated reviews on popular items such as headphones, smart watches and fitness trackers, it concluded. | |
| Thousands of reviews were unverified, meaning there was no evidence the reviewer bought the product, it said. | |
| Amazon said it was using automated technology to weed out false reviews. | Amazon said it was using automated technology to weed out false reviews. |
| It said it invested "significant resources" to protect its review system "because we know customers value the insights and experiences shared by fellow shoppers". | It said it invested "significant resources" to protect its review system "because we know customers value the insights and experiences shared by fellow shoppers". |
| "Even one inauthentic review is one too many," it added. | "Even one inauthentic review is one too many," it added. |
| But Which?'s probe suggested fake reviews were commonplace. | But Which?'s probe suggested fake reviews were commonplace. |
| When it searched for headphones, it found all the products on the first page of results were from unknown brands - which it defines as ones its experts have never heard of - rather than known brands, which it defines as household names. | When it searched for headphones, it found all the products on the first page of results were from unknown brands - which it defines as ones its experts have never heard of - rather than known brands, which it defines as household names. |
| Of 12,000 reviews for these, the majority (87%) were from unverified purchases. | Of 12,000 reviews for these, the majority (87%) were from unverified purchases. |
| One example, a set of headphones by an unknown brand called Celebrat, had 439 reviews, all of which were five-star, unverified and were posted on the same day, suggesting they had been automated. | One example, a set of headphones by an unknown brand called Celebrat, had 439 reviews, all of which were five-star, unverified and were posted on the same day, suggesting they had been automated. |
| Celebrat could not be reached for comment. | Celebrat could not be reached for comment. |
| How to spot a fake review | How to spot a fake review |
| Source: Which? | Source: Which? |
| ReviewMeta, a US-based website that analyses online reviews, said it was shocked at the scale of the unverified reviews, saying they were "obvious and easy to prevent". | ReviewMeta, a US-based website that analyses online reviews, said it was shocked at the scale of the unverified reviews, saying they were "obvious and easy to prevent". |
| The popularity of online review sites mean they are increasingly relied on by both businesses and their customers, with the government's Competition and Markets Authority estimating such reviews potentially influence £23bn of UK customer spending every year. | The popularity of online review sites mean they are increasingly relied on by both businesses and their customers, with the government's Competition and Markets Authority estimating such reviews potentially influence £23bn of UK customer spending every year. |
| Which? says its findings mean that customers should take reviews with "a pinch of salt". | Which? says its findings mean that customers should take reviews with "a pinch of salt". |
| "Look to independent and trustworthy sources when researching a purchase," says Which? head of home products Natalie Hitchins. | "Look to independent and trustworthy sources when researching a purchase," says Which? head of home products Natalie Hitchins. |
| Do you write fake reviews on Amazon? Or have you fallen foul of a fake review? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Do you write fake reviews on Amazon? Or have you fallen foul of a fake review? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below: | Or use the form below: |