IN a busy world where time is not only precious but limited, we as consumers of products and services usually evaluate their worth by making a quick glance at the reviews left by previous customers.

Marketers know that too, which is why they would have a ready set of reviews online that speak glowingly of their products. 

However, the issue of fake online reviews has come into stark detail through a shocking advertisement searching for paid google review writers as raised by a member of the Facebook public group Entrepreneurs And Startups In Malaysia.

Even more alarming was the fact that a measly RM1 would be paid per review, hinting at the bulk of fake google reviews that will or are already flooding the world wide web.

Netizen Alex Lau suggested reading only the bad reviews which were supposedly more believable. But then again, could rivals of a business leave those fake bad reviews? After all, fake reviews could work both ways.  

According to a discerning netizen, fake review writers can be easily discovered by examining their profile. Such individuals would only have made one or two reviews. 

Another netizen stated that to combat the worrying trend, consumers who actually used the product or service of a business should be allowed to make a review. 

Although this is a worrying development, website Android Police stated that there are several glaring attributes of a fake review. For example, fake reviewers do not have in-person experience, hence they do not have detailed information about a place or services. Therefore, the fake reviews usually will not delve deep into the details.

Android Police went on to state that positive or negative reviews written in bulk often contain generic words like amazing, beautiful, masterpiece, very good, bad, pathetic, and so on. 

Also, the time stamp of the review is vital. If thousands of positive or negative reviews were made within a span of 24 to 48 hours, these are probably fake ones designed to boost or drop the overall rating. This is true unless it is a big business right after a large event. 

Now that readers are aware of the attributes of a fake review or fake reviewer, they would not be so easily fooled by those measly RM1 google reviews. Then again, their worry could be unfounded. Any seasoned writer or copywriter knows that a RM1 worth review should not be too convincing. - Aug 6, 2024 

https://focusmalaysia.my/can-consumers-ever-trust-online-reviews-again/