Trustpilot guideline: fake reviews
Three Trustpilot documents carry the same line. Fake reviews are not allowed and will be removed. This page sets out the definition, because it is wider than most people expect. We remove fake 1-star reviews that meet it, and you pay per removal.
Published · Updated . Reviewed against Trustpilot’s guidelines on
100% risk-free. You only pay for the reviews that come down.
Short answer
Trustpilot defines a fake review as one that does not reflect a genuine service or buying experience. It can be positive or negative. The definition covers reviews from review sellers, reviews written to move a TrustScore, and reviews gathered through biased invitations. Automated detection checks every review before it appears. Fake reviews are taken offline. A business that procures them faces escalating action up to a public Consumer Warning. A business reports a suspected fake through the genuine experience flag.
Key facts
Trustpilot defines a fake review as one that does not reflect a genuine service or buying experience. It can be positive or negative.
Source: Action We Take, Trustpilot
Its examples are reviews from review sellers, reviews written to move a TrustScore, and reviews gathered through biased invitations.
Source: Action We Take, Trustpilot
Every review is checked by Trustpilot's automated detection technology before it appears, and published reviews are monitored.
Source: Trustpilot's automated detection technology, Trustpilot Help Center
When Trustpilot suspects a business procured fake reviews, it takes them offline. Repeated misuse can lead to a warning, a Consumer Warning and account limits.
Source: Action We Take, Trustpilot
Trustpilot says it removed 4.5 million fake reviews in 2024, and that 90% were detected automatically.
Source: Trust Report 2025, Trustpilot
This rule in 27 seconds
0:00 / 0:27
The rule, in Trustpilot's words
The Action We Take policy says:
We define fake reviews as reviews which don't reflect a genuine service or buying experience with a business. They're written in an attempt to mislead and manipulate what other people think about that business (positively or negatively).
It gives three examples:
- "Reviews gathered using illegitimate sources such as 'review sellers'"
- "Reviews written with the intention of manipulating a business's TrustScore rather than sharing a genuine experience"
- "Reviews gathered through biased or manipulated invitation methods"
The Guidelines for Businesses add: "Do not write or ask or encourage people to write fake reviews for your business."
What this rule does not cover
A harsh, unfair or mistaken review from a real customer is not fake. Trustpilot's reviewer guidelines say it takes a neutral stance in factual disputes between a reviewer and a business.
Examples
These examples are ours. They are written to show the rule and are not real reviews.
| Review, and what is known about it | Fake under Trustpilot's definition? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ten 5-star reviews in one afternoon, bought from a review seller | Yes | Reviews from review sellers do not reflect genuine experiences |
| "Great company!" written by the owner's cousin, who never ordered | Yes | No genuine experience, and a conflict of interest |
| A 1-star review posted by a rival's employee | Yes | Written to mislead, negatively. The definition covers both directions |
| 5-star reviews collected only from customers who first rated support 9 or 10 | Treated as part of a fake pattern | Gathered through a biased invitation method |
| "Charged me twice and ignored my emails", from a real customer who is wrong about the second charge | No | A genuine experience. Trustpilot stays neutral in factual disputes |
| "Worst purchase of my life", with no detail | No | Vague and harsh is not fake |
How Trustpilot detects fake reviews
Trustpilot's detection article says the technology analyzes every review, checking new ones before they appear and monitoring published ones. It scans review content, IP addresses, device characteristics and location data, among other data points.
According to the Trust Report 2025, 61 million reviews were written in 2024 and 4.5 million were removed as fake. Trustpilot says 90% of those were caught automatically.
What Trustpilot does about it
| Who | What happens |
|---|---|
| The review | Taken offline. Trustpilot moves reviews offline and can reinstate them |
| The reviewer | Told by email, and can challenge the decision |
| A business suspected of procuring fakes | An educational email first. Then a formal warning. Then a Consumer Warning, limited account access and, if needed, contract termination and legal action |
How a business uses this rule
You cannot flag a review as "fake" directly. The route is the genuine experience reason: Request information, then a flag that states why the writer was not eligible.
Anyone can use the flag icon on a review. For wider misuse, such as a competitor that buys reviews, Trustpilot has a whistleblower function.
For health brands
Small supplement profiles are the most tempted to buy reviews, and they are the easiest place to spot them. Our guide on buying Trustpilot reviews covers what follows, and the guide to fake Trustpilot reviews covers reporting in detail.
Where to go next
The main Trustpilot review removal page explains the process, and the qualification tool checks one review against the five flagging reasons.
If you would rather hand the work over, see our Trustpilot review removal service and what each removal costs.
Frequently asked questions
It can be part of a fake pattern. Trustpilot's examples of fake reviews include reviews gathered through biased or manipulated invitation methods, such as inviting only happy customers.
Through the genuine experience flagging reason, after a Request information step. The business needs a fact that shows the writer was not eligible. See the genuine experience guideline.
Trustpilot says they are. In the US, the FTC's review rule bans writing, selling and buying fake reviews, with civil penalties per violation. Source: 16 CFR Part 465.
Primary sources used on this page
- Action We Take. TrustpilotLast verified
- Guidelines for Businesses. TrustpilotLast verified
- Trustpilot's automated detection technology. Trustpilot Help CenterLast verified
- Trust Report 2025. TrustpilotLast verified
- 16 CFR Part 465: Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials. Electronic Code of Federal RegulationsLast verified