Glossary / Fake review

What is fake review?

A fake review is one posted by someone who was not a customer, or that misrepresents the experience — illegal to sell or buy under FTC rules.

The FTC's 2024 rule bans buying, selling, and posting fake consumer reviews and testimonials, with civil penalties per violation. Platforms detect them through account patterns, timing clusters, and IP signals — which is also why a genuine review posted from a brand-new account sometimes gets caught in the same filters.