Fake reviews hurt honest venues and mislead guests. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 explicitly bans commissioning or publishing fake reviews and concealing incentivised ones, and the Competition and Markets Authority can enforce it with serious fines. So buying five-star reviews or offering a free dessert in exchange for a glowing write-up is off the table. Review platforms are expected to take reasonable steps to detect and remove fakes. On the other side, venues increasingly face extortion: someone threatens a run of one-star reviews unless they get a refund, a free meal or a payment.
Never pay. Keep records, report the threat to the platform with screenshots and, where it's organised or repeated, report it to the police through Action Fraud. Respond publicly and calmly to suspicious reviews without accusing anyone of lying. Encouraging all genuine guests to review you is the best defence against fakes.
What we ask on the show
- What should you do if someone threatens bad reviews for a refund?
- Can review platforms really spot fakes?
- Is it ever acceptable to offer something for a review?
- Have reviews become a weapon?