Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used by Amazon to identify fake reviews and comments.
Fake review ‘brokers’ have been a major problem for the tech giant’s shopping site. To detect fraudulent behavior, Amazon has invested in machine learning models that analyze thousands of data points.
According to Which?, a consumer group in the UK, says it is still “not enough”. Third-party platforms, including social media and encrypted messaging services, are used by fake review brokers to buy, sell, and host fake reviews.
If a customer believes that a reviewer has been paid to write a glowing review to boost a seller’s ratings, or to undermine a competitor, they may make purchasing decisions based on what they believe is genuine feedback from other shoppers, which can sway their decisions over which laptop or toy to buy.
Despite generic information or high percents of five-star reviews, they aren’t always easy to spot. In 2022, Amazon reported more than 23,000 social media groups, with over 46 million members and followers, that facilitated fake reviews.
Amazon is intensifying its fight against counterfeit reviews by investing in more sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This innovative approach aims to enhance protection for both buyers and merchants on the e-commerce platform.
Amazon’s advanced fraud detection AI utilizes a multitude of factors to assess the probability of a review being falsified. This includes scrutinizing the reviewer’s connection with other online entities, analyzing their login patterns, evaluating their review history, and detecting any abnormal conduct.
Dharmesh Mehta, who spearheads Amazon’s customer trust department, disclosed to the BBC: “We deploy machine learning to identify suspicious profiles, monitor the links between a product-reviewing account and the account that’s selling the product.”
By merging thorough verification processes with state-of-the-art machine learning and AI, Amazon is able to identify and neutralize fake reviews before they reach customers. This is a significant step in improving trust and credibility on Amazon’s platform.
Harry Kind, a representative from Which?, stated that approximately one in seven online customer reviews in the UK might be inauthentic. “Amazon is attempting various technological interventions to curb counterfeit reviews, and they’ve seen some level of success. However, it’s still not enough to fully tackle this vast issue,” he said.
According to the consumer group, counterfeit reviews lead customers to choose subpar products more than twice as often. In response to these challenges, Amazon has ramped up its efforts, blocking over 200 million suspected fraudulent reviews last year with its newly developed methods. The online retail giant also plans to keep innovating sophisticated tools to protect consumers.
Amazon urges greater collaboration among private businesses, consumer advocacy groups, and government agencies to enhance the effectiveness of its strategy. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill currently under consideration by the UK Parliament is expected to empower the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) with more legal force in this matter.
While Which? appreciates Amazon’s call for a cooperative approach, they believe the proposed UK legislation should include explicit provisions making the purchase, sale, and hosting of fake reviews criminally punishable. The group highlighted the ease with which fake review “factories” trading reviews for Amazon and other platforms can still be found on Facebook.
The CMA asserted that it has already taken considerable steps against deceptive reviews and the parties involved in their trade. A CMA spokesperson stated, “Our investigations into counterfeit reviews, including the Amazon case, are ongoing. Further updates will be shared later in the year.”
Recently, Amazon has taken legal recourse against NiceRebate.com, a UK-based platform accused of brokering fake reviews. Several other websites run by the same group have been shut down due to legal action in both the UK and the US.
“We’re firmly combating review brokers,” said Mr. Mehta. According to him, Amazon has taken legal action against 94 such malicious entities, including fraudsters from the US, China, and Europe.