A fake review will appear to have been written by a genuine customer but, unlike a real review, it is paid for by the manufacturer or trader to boost ratings and rankings on sellers' websites, which in turn boosts sales. In some cases, companies give away goods or refund purchases in return for glowing reviews, practices that are are illegal under consumer protection law. During a further sweep of relevant platforms, the CMA highlighted new examples of fake and misleading reviews being offered for sale on Instagram. It said Facebook, which operates Instagram, had committed to investigate the issue.
A fake review will appear to have been written by a genuine customer but, unlike a real review, it is paid for by the manufacturer or trader to boost ratings and rankings on sellers' websites, which in turn boosts sales. In some cases, companies give away goods or refund purchases in return for glowing reviews, practices that are are illegal under consumer protection law. During a further sweep of relevant platforms, the CMA highlighted new examples of fake and misleading reviews being offered for sale on Instagram. It said Facebook, which operates Instagram, had committed to investigate the issue.