How to spot fake and AI-written reviews

AI can write a hundred glowing reviews in a minute. Here is how to tell the bought ones from the real ones.

Eight signs

No details you could check. "Amazing quality, exceeded my expectations!" fits any product. Real reviews mention the zip that stuck or the size that ran small.
Chatbot phrasing: "seamless experience", "a testament to quality", "elevate your routine". See signs of AI writing.
Perfectly structured: pros, cons and a neat summary, in a review of a phone case.
A burst of five-star reviews in the same few days, often right after launch.
Same words, different names. The same unusual phrase turns up across several reviews.
The product name, in full, again and again, the way an ad is written.
All stars, no middle. Real products collect threes and fours.
Off-topic praise for the seller, the delivery or a different product.

Tap their profile: dozens of five-star reviews in one week, across unrelated products, is a pattern.
A brand-new account with one glowing review is weaker evidence than an old account with mixed ones.
"Verified purchase" helps, but can be gamed with refunds.

Start with the three-star reviews. They're the most likely to be real and the most useful.
Sort by newest: quality can change after a product gets popular.
Look for photos taken by customers, in ordinary rooms.

In the US, the FTC banned fake reviews, including AI-written ones, in 2024. Most stores have a "report" button on each review; use it.

They give a rough guide at best. Use them alongside the signs above, especially the reviewer's history.

No. The warning sign is a pile-up: many vague five-star reviews in a short time, with the same phrasing.