How to Spot Fake Reviews Before You Buy Online: A UK Guide

What UK law says about fake reviews

New law came into force in April 2025. GOV.UK guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority explains that there is now a banned practice covering fake reviews and concealed incentivised reviews. That second category means reviews that hide the fact they were paid for or rewarded, for example with money or a free product.

This helps shoppers, but it does not mean every review you see can be trusted. Many sites sell into the UK from overseas, and rules only help once someone reports a problem and it is acted on. The checks below are still worth doing.

Seven checks to run on any review page

1. Look at the dates

A product with no reviews for months, then dozens in a few days, deserves a second look. A launch or sale can explain a burst, so treat this as a prompt to check further rather than as proof.

2. Look for real detail

Useful reviews say what the person did with the product, how long they used it and what went wrong as well as right. Vague praise such as “Amazing product, highly recommend” tells you nothing, even if it is genuine.

3. Check the rating spread

Most real products collect a mix of ratings. A page that is nearly all five stars with a handful of one-star complaints is worth reading closely, especially if the complaints all mention the same fault.

4. Read the three-star reviews first

Middle ratings are often the most balanced. They tend to explain what is good, what is not and who the product suits.

5. Look for repeated wording

The same unusual phrase across several reviews, or several reviews that read like the sales page, can be a warning sign.

6. Look at the reviewer

Where a site shows a profile, check it. A reviewer who has only ever posted five-star reviews for one brand tells you less than someone with a varied history.

7. Check more than one place

Testimonials on a seller’s own page are chosen by the seller. Search for the product name with the word “refund” or “complaint” and see what appears elsewhere. Our money-back guarantee guide covers what to check next.

What about video testimonials and influencers?

Treat these as adverts until shown otherwise. The same CMA guidance covers social media endorsements, and paid or rewarded posts should be labelled clearly. If a post praises a product with no label and you can see a discount code or an affiliate link, ask yourself what the person gets out of it.

What to do if a review looks wrong

• Do not buy yet. There is rarely a real reason to rush, whatever the countdown timer says.
• Report it to the site. Most large platforms have a report button.
• Tell Citizens Advice. The Citizens Advice consumer service can give practical advice and can pass complaints on to Trading Standards.

A worked example

Imagine a new kitchen gadget with 1,200 reviews and an average of 4.8 stars. Before paying, spend five minutes on it. Sort by newest and see whether reviews arrive steadily or in sudden bursts. Filter to three stars and read ten of them. If several mention the same fault, such as a seal that fails after a month, believe the pattern over the average. Then scan the five-star reviews for the same phrases or photos that look like catalogue images.

Next, leave the seller’s page. Search the product name and the brand name separately. A brand with no address, no history and a domain registered recently deserves more care than the reviews alone suggest. If the same item appears on several sites under different brand names, it may be a generic product with a new label. That is not illegal, but it means reviews from one listing may not apply to another.

Signs that do not prove anything

Do not overcorrect. Poor grammar does not mean a review is fake, because plenty of real customers write quickly or in a second language. A cluster of reviews after a sale can be perfectly genuine. A small number of reviews on a new product is normal. The point is to weigh several signals together, then decide whether you are comfortable with the risk at that price. For a £5 purchase, a quick check is enough. For anything expensive, a health product or a subscription, take longer.

Better signals than reviews

Reviews are only one input. A clear company address, a real returns process, full product details and independent testing often tell you more. For anything you will use on your body, read the label too; our skincare label guide shows how. Paying in a way that gives you extra protection also lowers the cost of getting it wrong.

FAQ

Are fake reviews illegal in the UK?

GOV.UK guidance says that since April 2025 there has been a banned practice covering fake reviews and concealed incentivised reviews. Check the current guidance for the detail.

Does a verified purchase label prove a review is real?

No. It suggests the reviewer bought the item, which helps, but it does not tell you whether they were rewarded for the review.

Are bad reviews always honest?

Not always. Treat any single review with caution and look for patterns across several.

Can I trust star ratings on their own?

No. An average hides the spread and the dates. Read a sample of reviews, starting with the middle ratings.