How to Spot A Fake Review Online

You know we've all done it. We are getting ready to check out a restaurant or a vacation spot and we go read the reviews. Well unfortunately there are companies out there that will give 5 star reviews of an establishment in exchange for cash. How do you spot them? Well here's some tell tale signs:

1. If A Hotel Review Is Focused Too Heavily On Family and Activities
This is a way for a paid reviewer to skip talking about the hotel itself when they've actually never been inside the place. A real review will be someone talking about the hotel itself in plain chatter. Like "The pool was clean and the beds were semi hard, the TV's were old and the fridge froze everything. Rates were reasonable though." instead of "This hotel was great for your families to stay at with a spacious pool and amusement parks within minutes of the hotel. Great Rates and very clean rooms makes this a great place to stay!"

 2. Over Enthusiastic Review!!!!!
Excessive use of punctuation and enthusiasm for the place with ultra positive vernacular!!!  "I really adored my stay at The Sea Hag's Inn!! Great Staff and delicious food really made my soul shine! The bathrooms were luxurious and the rooms were spacious with beds that felt like I was sleeping on a cloud!!!!" When you look at the rooms sizes and furnishings list on the site and it looks like your old college dorm room.

3. Auto-filled Scripts
Yes there's templates that a fake reviewer can use to post. Some of the companies use Non-English speaking folk to write a review. Look for odd language:
"I loved visiting Birdsall's Cowboy Hat Emporium. The very best thing about Birdsall's Cowboy Hat Emporium is how nice Birdsall's Cowboy Hat Emporium is inside. If you are traveling you definatley need to visit Birdsall's Cowboy Hat Emporium."

4. Multiple Reviews That Sound The Same
Multiple posts mean more money!! Right?

5. No Other Reviews In The Same Area By The Reviewer
An extremely negative review could just be a person spouting off about a product they hate. Click their history, make sure they're real.

Don't feel cheated by the internet when you travel. Spot the fakes and have a wonderful time!