Observed Signal · Feb 23, 2022 · Regulation · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Amazon Sues Fake-Review Platforms
Amazon has filed lawsuits against two platforms, AppSally and Rebatest, alleging they supply fake, incentivized reviews for products across marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Walmart. The platforms allegedly pay or reward reviewers and provide guidelines that promote illegitimate practices, including sending empty boxes or instructing five-star reviews. Amazon emphasizes that incentivized reviews mislead consumers and create an unfair competitive edge. The company notes it prevented millions of suspicious reviews through machine-learning defenses, and in 2020 removed over 200 million reviews deemed fake before they reached customers. Amazon reportedly handles about 30 million reviews per week and employs around 10,000 people to combat fraud. Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s VP of WW Customer Trust & Partner Support, described the lawsuits as holding review fraudsters accountable and underscored the importance of trustworthy reviews in protecting selling partners.
Lawsuits filed by a major platform (Amazon) against entities facilitating fraudulent reviews; impacts trust and integrity in e-commerce and ad-tech ecosystems.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Amazon filed lawsuits against AppSally and Rebatest for providing fake reviews on platforms including Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Walmart.
- AppSally allegedly paid or rewarded reviewers and instructed them on posting reviews; Rebatest allegedly allowed five-star-only reviews.
- In 2020, Amazon removed over 200 million reviews identified as fake through machine-learning mechanisms.
- Amazon processes about 30 million reviews per week and employs around 10,000 people to protect against fraud.
- The lawsuits target the source of review fraud by aiming at the platforms providing the fake reviews.
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