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Investigation prompts warning about commissioning fake reviews
Government competition authorities are warning travel businesses that they risk prosecution if they commission or write fake reviews.
The warning came after an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority into a search engine optimisation and online marketing company which had written hundreds of fake reviews for its clients.
Total SEO & Marketing Ltd was found to have written over 800 fake positive reviews for 86 small businesses between 2014 and 2015, published across 26 different websites.
Following the investigation, the firm has ceased writing fake online reviews and has agreed to take steps to remove those already posted.
The CMA has also written to Total SEO’s clients to warn them that they also risk breaking the law if third parties write fake reviews on their behalf.
Although none of the businesses in this case were travel-related, the CMA specifically issued a warning to travel companies.
"It is important that travel businesses are also aware of the action taken as this might be happening to them," said a spokeswoman for the CMA.
"It is important that they do not commission or write fake reviews."
The CMA has produced guidelines for businesses summarising how to comply with consumer protection law in relation to online reviews.
Nisha Arora, CMA senior director consumer, said: "With more than half of people in the UK using online reviews to help them choose what to buy, they are becoming an increasingly valuable source of information. Fake reviews can lead to people making the wrong decisions and fair-playing businesses losing out.
"Search engine optimisation companies, PR and marketing agencies provide a valuable service to businesses, but they must do this lawfully. Our enforcement action against Total SEO makes clear that posting fake reviews about clients is unacceptable."
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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