How To Spot a Fake Review

While a perfect score on the App Store may seem like a green flag, you can’t trust every five star review. Fake reviews can be found in every industry, and the tech world is no exception. Dishonest developers sometimes use bots to mass purchase their own product in order to leave dozens of fake positive reviews. Before you download, ask yourself:

Are the reviews generic? Fake reviews are usually vague enough to apply to almost any app. Some are as short and vague as “good app,” but others can use AI to write longer, more convincing reviews. No matter the length, the most trustworthy feedback mentions specific details in the software it’s reviewing.

Does the username check out? Take a look at the username of the person leaving the review. Fake accounts will usually have generic usernames, sometimes with a long string of numbers at the end. If you see a five-star review from “user1235783,” something might be off.