Why fake review detection matters
Fake reviews are the biggest threat to a review platform's credibility. Dishonest site operators buy positive reviews to inflate their Trust Scores. Competitors post negative reviews to drag rivals down. Both tactics mislead users who are making real-money decisions.
Tested.gg uses a combination of automated systems and manual moderation to identify and remove fake reviews.
Verified account requirements
Every reviewer must sign in with Google. Optional Steam and Discord account linking adds an additional layer of identity verification. This makes it harder to create throwaway accounts for fake review campaigns.
New accounts start at the lowest trust level and go through mandatory moderation for their first reviews. This catches most fake review attempts before they ever appear on the site.
Automated detection systems
Several systems run on every submitted review:
- IP and device patterns - multiple reviews from the same IP address or device fingerprint targeting the same site trigger an alert. This catches bulk operations run from a single location.
- Timing analysis - a burst of reviews for one site within a short window is flagged for investigation. Organic reviews arrive steadily over time. Paid campaigns produce unnatural spikes.
- Sentiment analysis - the system compares the star rating against the language in the review text. A 5-star review with negative language (or vice versa) is held for manual review.
- Text similarity - reviews with near-identical wording across different accounts are flagged. This catches copy-paste campaigns where multiple fake accounts submit the same template.
- Account age and activity - brand-new accounts that submit a review as their first and only action receive extra scrutiny.
Manual moderation
Automated systems catch patterns, but human moderators catch context. Moderators review flagged submissions and look for signs that automated tools might miss - overly generic praise, irrelevant details, or reviews that read like marketing copy.
Moderators also investigate reports from users. Reviews can be reported directly from the review card.
What happens to caught fakes
Confirmed fake reviews are permanently removed from the site. They do not count toward the Trust Score calculation. The account that submitted the fake review is flagged, and repeated offenses result in a permanent ban.
If a coordinated fake review campaign is detected targeting a specific site, all reviews from the campaign are removed in bulk. The site's Trust Score is recalculated without the fraudulent data.
How you can help
Report suspicious reviews when you see them. The more data the moderation team has, the faster fake review campaigns are identified and shut down. You can also strengthen the platform by writing honest, detailed reviews of your own - authentic reviews from verified accounts are the best defense against manipulation.