I woke up one morning to find that a string of one-star reviews about Ignite SEO, the company I built from scratch, had been posted in the middle of the night. They came out of nowhere. A few hours later, I even had a spammer messaging me directly on WhatsApp. It was a coordinated attempt to shake trust and it shows just how far these scams go.
For any leader, but especially those who head up small and medium-sized businesses, reviews can make a huge difference to your success. Even a handful of fake reviews can damage rankings, scare off new clients and create real financial loss.
Government research in 2023 revealed the scale and impact of fake reviews, and the effect they have:
- Up to 35% of online reviews could be fake across major platforms
- Fake reviews are estimated to cause between £50m and £312m of consumer harm per year in the UK
- Reviews influence an estimated £23bn of UK consumer spending annually, making them one of the most powerful trust signals online.
This research informed new legislation: the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
How to spot fake or spam reviews
- Spikes in activity – several reviews appearing overnight or in quick succession.
- Generic language – vague complaints, such as ‘terrible service’, with no detail.
- Reviewer profiles – accounts with no history or only negative activity.
- Suspicious timing – bulk reviews posted outside business hours are a red flag.
What businesses should do
- Respond professionally – address concerns factually, without emotion.
- Report and flag – Google, Trustpilot and other platforms have formal removal processes.
- Collect genuine feedback – encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews regularly.
- Keep evidence – client records and screenshots can support removal requests or legal escalation.
- Know the law – under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, businesses are legally prohibited from commissioning or hosting fake reviews, and the Competition and Markets Authority now has enforcement powers.
Fake reviews aren’t just an inconvenience – they’re an attack on your shop window. If someone vandalised your storefront, you’d clean it up quickly. Online reputations deserve the same care. The good news is that the law is catching up, but leaders need to stay alert and proactive.
Adam Collins is CEO of Ignite SEO
