Scam Alert - Fake Google Business Reviews

 LABELLE, FL -- Believing customer reviews online may be a pitfall when relying on so-called customer reviews when purchasing from unknown companies found on the web. Many of these reviews may be fake and not real customers as we discovered. And perhaps more seriously, the company may not be registered to do business at all in the state.

As we investigated this week online reviews, findings were surprising about what appeared to be unanimous "5-star" reviews of one company called "Buckingham Garage Door Repair Company."

With 69 "5-star" reviews we at first thought this might be a pretty good business for hiring someone for a garage door repair. We read all the reviews and they were uniformly glowing, "They're honest, reliable and provide the best customer service experience.," and " Buckingham Garage Door Repair Company is a great company," etc.

Now, this might be true or it might not. So we started noticing some clues that lead to a belief that most or even all may be fake reviews, not written by actual customers. 

The Clues: Most of the reviewers did not have a personal photo icon on their reviews, even the Google "local guides" supposedly more trusted reviewers under a Google reviewer program, didn't include a personal photo. And most had a history of writing only a few reviews.

Checking the reviews (which are all 5 stars), they appeared to be fake as you look at each individual reviewer's page. Each individual reviewer gives everyone they review 5 stars, and reviews similar service businesses in different states and cities which would be unlikely for any one person. And many reviewers hide their other reviews so you can not see how valid their reviewing really might be.

One example by one reviewer, a review of a roofing company in Tampa, a home gate company in Miami, a locksmith company in Orlando, Fl and reviews of locksmith companies in Indiana and Georgia, all by the same reviewer. 

Look at another "reviewer", "Sander Fineman" here and see if their reviews from all over the country might be fake or true, giving everyone 5 stars and presumably living in many places at the same time within a four week period.

The final step to confirm this company's credentials was to look up the company name on the Florida Secretary of State website, sunbiz.org, where companies and business names (so called "fictitious" names") must be registered to do business in the state. Buckingham Garage Door Repair Company did not appear as a registered company.

How do these companies get fake reviews: Just do a search for "buy Google Local Guide reviews" and you'll see paid advertisements and even non-paid results to enable anyone to falsify their business by buying reviews. Here's some examples: GetRiviews.Buzz and OneBoost.site

Our advice: When you see 5 star reviews and especially every review being 5 stars, be very careful. How many businesses are that perfect and everyone also thinks they are perfect deserving 5 stars? Check some of the individual reviewer's previous review and see if they make any sense and are legitimate. Then look up any registration for the company on sunbiz.org to see if they are legal to even be running a business.

Above: YouTube Live - Investigating Fake Online Reviews