Fake reviews
Most articles about fake reviews quote an estimate of how many are fake. That number is contested and almost never traceable. What is not contested is what is now illegal in the United States, and what consumers say about it. Both are below, with their sources.
Where these numbers come from
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 — 1,002 US adults, United States. Published 11 February 2026. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
Every figure on this page was read from the study itself, not from another article quoting it. Nothing is rounded or reworded.
The Commission approved the final rule 5-0 on 14 August 2024. These are the practices it prohibits, in its own terms.
In the United States it is illegal to create, buy or sell fake consumer reviews and testimonials, including AI-generated reviews written by people with no real experience of the business.
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
In the United States it is illegal to create, buy or sell fake consumer reviews and testimonials, including AI-generated reviews written by people with no real experience of the business. Source: US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States, 14 August 2024). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-ftc-ban-fake
Businesses may not offer compensation or incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, whether the condition is stated or implied.
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
Businesses may not offer compensation or incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, whether the condition is stated or implied. Source: US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States, 14 August 2024). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-ftc-ban-incentive
Reviews written by company insiders are illegal unless the writer's connection to the business is clearly disclosed, and the rule extends to officers' and managers' relatives, employees and agents.
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
Reviews written by company insiders are illegal unless the writer's connection to the business is clearly disclosed, and the rule extends to officers' and managers' relatives, employees and agents. Source: US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States, 14 August 2024). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-ftc-ban-insider
Businesses may not use groundless legal threats, intimidation or false accusations to get negative reviews removed, nor claim that the reviews they display represent all reviews when negative ones have been suppressed.
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
Businesses may not use groundless legal threats, intimidation or false accusations to get negative reviews removed, nor claim that the reviews they display represent all reviews when negative ones have been suppressed. Source: US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States, 14 August 2024). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-ftc-ban-suppress
Buying or selling fake indicators of social media influence, such as bot-generated followers or views, is banned when used to misrepresent influence for a commercial purpose.
US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials — US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States. Published 14 August 2024. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
Buying or selling fake indicators of social media influence, such as bot-generated followers or views, is banned when used to misrepresent influence for a commercial purpose. Source: US Federal Trade Commission, Final Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (US federal rule, approved by the Commission 5-0, United States, 14 August 2024). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-ftc-ban-followers
Tolerance for fake reviews is close to zero.
97% of consumers think businesses should be punished for fake reviews.
BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 — 1,002 US adults, United States. Published 11 February 2026. Checked against the original on 10 November 2026.
97% of consumers think businesses should be punished for fake reviews. Source: BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (1,002 US adults, United States, 11 February 2026). Via Climbo: https://www.climbo.com/statistics/fake-review-statistics#stat-fake-punish
Each figure lives on one page only. These cover the neighbouring questions.
Review response statisticswhat replying to reviews actually changes Online review statisticshow much weight consumers put on reviews in the first placeIn the United States, yes. The Federal Trade Commission's final rule, announced on 14 August 2024, bans creating, buying and selling fake consumer reviews and testimonials, including AI-generated reviews written by people with no real experience of the business.
No. The FTC rule prohibits offering compensation or incentives conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment, whether that condition is stated outright or merely implied.
Only with clear disclosure. Reviews from company insiders are banned unless the writer's material connection to the business is clearly disclosed, and the rule extends to officers' and managers' relatives, employees and agents.
Not on groundless grounds. The FTC rule bans using baseless legal threats, intimidation or false accusations to suppress negative reviews, and bans claiming that displayed reviews represent all reviews when negative ones have been suppressed.
97% of consumers think businesses should be punished for fake reviews, according to BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 of 1,002 US adults.
We do not publish a figure for this. The estimates in circulation come from platform-specific removal counts or from methods that are not disclosed, and they are not comparable with each other. When a traceable measurement exists, it will appear here.
First published 10 November 2026. Every source on this page was last reopened and its figures confirmed on 10 November 2026. That date moves when a source is checked again, not when the page is rebuilt, and a figure is replaced only if the publishing organisation has changed it.
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