Hiring a service provider often starts with reading reviews. These snippets can feel like your lifeline, offering a glimpse into others’ experiences before you commit. Unfortunately, not all reviews are trustworthy. Fake reviews are more common than most people realize, written to boost a company's reputation or tear down competitors. Falling for them could leave you stuck with an inexperienced contractor, unreliable service, or worse, money down the drain. The good news is that spotting fake reviews isn’t as hard as it sounds. With the right tips, you’ll be able to separate the authentic from the phony.

Look for Extremes

Reviews that seem overly positive or negative can be a red flag. Authentic experiences usually include a mix of pros and cons, no matter how good or bad the service was. A glowing five-star review claiming, “This was the best experience of my life, everything was perfect, and I wouldn’t change a thing!” might seem great at first but doesn’t reflect typical human experience. On the flip side, an all-caps rant with no specifics often lacks credibility.

Check for Repetition

Review patterns that repeat phrases or keywords might indicate fake reviews. Companies sometimes use hired reviewers or bots that follow templates to churn out reviews in bulk. Look at several reviews for the same business. If you see multiple comments saying, “Quick and efficient service at an affordable price” with little variation, proceed cautiously. Genuine reviews tend not to sound identical even when customers had similar experiences.

For added insight, scroll through reviews across different platforms like Google, Yelp, or industry-specific sites. Seeing the same phrasing on multiple platforms makes the reviews more likely to be fake.

Evaluate the Reviewer’s Profile

Always click on the reviewer’s profile if the platform allows it. Fake reviewers often lack a history of leaving meaningful feedback. Their profile might show only one or two reviews, which is common for bots or paid accounts. A real reviewer is more likely to have a variety of reviews, rating everything from restaurants to repair services. Profiles with strange usernames like “xyzd5892” or generic avatars also warrant suspicion. A credible profile often includes a full name, photo, and reviews over a period of time.

Pay Attention to Timing

A flood of reviews appearing in a short time window is a major red flag. Companies encourage fake reviews when they want to bury bad feedback or boost their ratings quickly. Genuine reviews trickle in over time because real customers don’t typically post feedback all at once. One or two customers might review after a renovation ends, followed by another a month later. This natural flow contrasts significantly with sudden review spikes.

Look for Specificity

Reviews lacking specifics often signal inauthenticity. A genuine customer provides details based on their unique experience. Focus on reviews that share tangible takeaways. Someone explaining how their landscaper designed a water-saving garden offers much more value than a vague “Great job!” comment. Specifics point to real customer experiences, while generic phrases often indicate filler content.

Notice Unbalanced Reviews

Balanced reviews that mention both strengths and weaknesses feel more credible. Even the best companies make small mistakes or miss the mark in minor ways. Pay attention to comments that sound overly polished and ignore potential flaws, like, “Everything went perfectly, and I didn’t have a single problem.” Customers rarely use such all-encompassing descriptions.

On the other hand, excessive negativity also raises questions. A reviewer claiming, “This is the worst service provider on the planet!” without offering supporting details comes across as less authentic. Balanced feedback shows the reviewer considered the full experience rather than focusing on extremes.

Cross-Check Reviews on Other Platforms

Services with fake reviews often focus their efforts on one or two sites. A company with hundreds of reviews on its website but only a handful on a neutral third-party platform might be manipulating feedback. Search for the provider’s name across various platforms and compare patterns.

Glowing reviews across their own site but complaints elsewhere suggest they may not be telling the full story. Consistency across multiple platforms usually indicates that experiences are real and verified by numerous customers.

Spot Overuse of Emojis or Exclamation Points

Reviews peppered with emojis or OTT enthusiasm can come across as fake. Phrases with all caps, emojis, and exclamation points can be overly dramatic and not something a typical homeowner would write after an HVAC checkup. Authentic reviews tend to express excitement in more down-to-earth terms. There’s nothing wrong with enthusiasm in a review, but too much cheerleading mixed with zero useful details leans into fake territory.