OPINION: Be wary of trusting online reviews

If you’ve ever shopped online, you undoubtedly take a look at customer reviews of the product or service before making a purchase decision.

But what if those reviews are fake or posted by the company itself or someone connected to the company who failed to provide disclosure?

The Federal Trade Commission last year cracked down on fake ads and authorized civil penalties against violators, but bogus reviews continue to be rampant.

Still, you won’t always be able to tell just by looking whether the comments are genuine. “Some reviews may look suspicious, and some may look real, but it can often be nearly impossible to tell for sure,” the FTC says.

Here are some clues to help spot red flags and determine how much weight you should give a review when deciding on a purchase:

• Start by looking at a variety of sources, including well-known websites that show impartial and trustworthy expert reviews. A good review will briefly explain why something is or is not worth buying. Watch out if there’s a number of five-star or one- star ratings that have only a word or two of explanation, use generic language, contain irrelevant details or are over-the-top with enthusiasm.
• See if the person has written other reviews, and take a look at those as well. “... Read those to get a better sense of how much to trust that reviewer,” the FTC advises. It’s a red flag if the person seems to have created an account just to review one product.
• Look at how recent the reviews are. If there have been a number of them in a short amount of time, that could signal that they are fake.
• Know that bogus reviews don’t always shower something with praise. Sometimes a company will post negative reviews to harm a competitor.
• Some websites will display a label or badge next to a review that indicates the reviewer got a payment or incentive to post the comments. It’s just something to take into account when you’re making a purchase decision.

Check on those checks

There’s yet another version of the scam in which you think it’s your lucky day because you got — surprise — an unsolicited refund check in your mailbox.

The letter says “FINAL NOTICE” and claims the contents are related to your property. You’re supposed to “Call IMMEDIATELY.” What looks like an attached check has no signature and actually says in small print that it isn’t a check.

People who called the number told the FTC they ended up with someone trying to sell them an extended warranty or service contract for their home or appliances.

“The official-looking mailer could be a scare tactic to get your attention, convince you to call and then sell you something,” the FTC says.

If this happens and you’re unsure of its legitimacy, contact the bank that the mailer seems to come from by using a phone number or website that you know is legitimate. You can also research by looking up the listed phone number or bank’s name with words like “scam,” “complaint” or “review.”