Sometimes, the telltale sign of a fake a product is a fake review. Just because an item has five-star ratings doesn't mean it's authentic. On the contrary, a high number of positive reviews can be a red flag.
Don't be fooled by a "verified purchased" tag on Amazon — while it helps establish credibility, sellers cheat the system by hiring businesses to create dummy accounts, purchase products, and write a stellar review.
You can use online tools to help determine the legitimacy of a review, such as Fakespot, which provides a score regarding the likelihood of fake reviews for a product.
But, you don't always need the help of an online service — there are a few warning signs you can spot with your own eye.
Wirecutter points out that a lot of positive reviews within a few days can indicate people pushed for reviews to happen on a timeline. Poor spelling and grammar, similarly staged user photos, and similar wording can also be warning signs, as can certain words and phrases — think high usage of first-person singular, verbs, and adverbs as well as specifics, like references to people or exact details.