Fake feedback

Fake reviews come in different flavors. Sometimes reviewers have a deal with sellers in which they leave positive feedback in exchange for a refund on the product they are reviewing, which they then get to keep.

Tracking you down

The Wall Street Journal published a report about sellers tracking down customers who left negative reviews and requesting that they revise or delete the review in exchange for gift cards or refunds. When Ben asked how his contact information was found, the seller said his boss found it through a “social software search for names.”

Be wary of fake reviews

You can spot questionable reviews in a few ways:

Gushing reviews are a red flag. If the review seems vague, it was possibly copied from other reviews.A large group of positive reviews left in a short time are something to watch out for.Fakespot is a free Chrome extension that looks for fake reviews. Learn more at fakespot.com.ReviewMeta filters the fluff from reviews, leaving you with the bare essentials. Go to reviewmeta.com/blog/extensions for more information.

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