Businesses across the UK continue to exploit flaws in Google’s review system, according to an investigation by Which?

An operation by the consumer rights group has revealed a ‘web’ of paid-for reviewers who seek to manipulate the star rating of businesses to improve their rankings online.

As part of the investigation, Which? says it signed up to a number of firms offering ‘review manipulation services’, which includes the posting of fake five-star reviews.

The group found that a range of sites are trading openly in the sale of Google reviews through the platform itself. Additionally, businesses across a range of industries are utilising these services to enhance their rankings on the platform – a tactic that is misleading British consumers.

Home improvement companies, stockbrokers and a dentist surgery are among the businesses found to have used review-enhancing services, the investigation revealed.

Sting Operation

Which? said it set up a “sting operation” as part of its investigation, which included the creation of a fake business listing under the name “five-star reviews”.

Under the fake listing, investigators then purchased 20 Google reviews for £108 from a site called ‘Reviewr’. Thereafter, researchers were then able to choose a five-star rating for reviews posted between three and five times each day.

“We even provided the exact copy for the 20 reviews – praising the unbelievably good service of our fake business and the owner, who we called Catherine,” the consumer group explained. “Over the next week, they started appearing, left by a variety of Google accounts.”

The illegitimate nature of many reviews was instantly noticeable, according to Which? deeper investigation into individual accounts which left reviews showed “unlikely patterns of activity”.

15 reviewers were found to have rated both an Edinburgh-based SEO consultancy and a London psychic. Which? this was “an unlikely coincidence”.

Similarly, a Surrey-based reviewer was also found to have reviewed a local car business while heaping praise on a Glasgow electric gate company for work carried out on his property.

Putting consumers at risk

According to Which? the investigation has revealed “concerning gaps” in how Google monitors and polices its review platform.

Fake reviews are misleading to consumers across the country and, on occasion, result in serious financial losses after choosing sub-standard services. In one instance, a blatantly fake reviewer had given five-star ratings to a Liverpool-based solicitor, claiming that it helped a client recover £45,000 after being scammed.

Competition is fierce for small and local businesses when trading via online platforms, according to Which?

As such, fake reviews and bad actors could be “jeopardising the fate of other local businesses” by paying for fake reviews that “rocket them up the search rankings”.

According to a 2019 survey conducted by the FSB, one-fifth of small firms said that fake or malicious reviews were among the most common challenge they faced when trading via online platforms.

“Companies that are taking shortcuts to rise up the ranks dishonestly are in breach of Google’s terms of use, and may well steal business from those operating honestly. Our investigation revealed that, in some cases, they may pose a threat to consumers, too,” the report stated.

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Upon presenting Google with its findings, the fake business created by Which? was swiftly shut down.

The tech giant said that the issue of paid-for reviews is a “complex and persistent threat” which it takes seriously. A spokesperson for Google added that it uses automated detection systems to scan millions of reviews each day. Its systems are capable of detecting and removing content that violates its policies.

“We invest significantly in building technologies and instituting practices that help people find reliable information on Google. Our policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences and information, and we closely monitor 24/7 for fraudulent content, using a combination of people and technology,” they said.

Regulatory Crosshairs

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is in the process of investigating fake reviews, and the consumer rights group called on the regulator to take “strong action” against sites that fail to protect consumers from fake reviews.

The CMA must also take “swift action” to shut down websites that trade in the sale of fake reviews, Which? added.