Did these high-profile Hollywood celebrities really provide online reviews for a Toronto window company?

Many online reviews may be fake or bought by businesses. CTV's Pat Foran explains how to spot them and shop smarter.

Fake reviews can be made by anyone, but there are also “fake review rings” that operate in other countries. They sell reviews for a price, and businesses may purchase positive or negative reviews, depending on if they want to help their business or hurt their competition.

Kay Dean, a former U.S. federal criminal investigator from San Jose, Calif., founded Fake Review Watch, an industry watchdog and advocacy organization, where she exposes fraudulent online reviews.

Dean contacted CTV News after she noticed fake reviews being posted for a Toronto window company.

“The fake review problem in general is so much worse than what most people are really aware of,” said Dean.

While investigating the window company, Dean noticed that whoever was posting them was using the names of famous actors who don’t even live in Canada.

“The scammers are using the names of celebrities, which is just absurd,” said Dean.

Some celebrity names Dean saw included “Bruce Springsteen, Tom Hanks, and Lauren Bacall.”

It’s an obvious red flag if you see that Madonna, Denzel Washington, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, or Al Pacino all took their time to leave reviews about windows and doors.

Business denies buying reviews

When CTV News contacted the businesses, it claimed “our window company has never instructed, authorized, or knowingly engaged anyone to post fake reviews or create fake business listings on our behalf.”

Dean told CTV News fake reviews are rampant on the web.

“This is just a snapshot of what’s happening on Google, and it’s unfair, and it’s unfair for honest businesses that have to compete,” Dean said.

CTV News reached out to Google on this matter, and a spokesperson said in a statement, “Our policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences and information and do not allow reviews or ratings that have been paid for. We have removed these fake reviews and suspended reviews on the policy-violating business profiles.”

A Toronto-based computer business owner also shared his experience after his business had been impacted by the usage of fake reviews.

The business owner, whom we will call John, did not want his name or business used for this story, as he claimed he is having difficulty with his competitors, which he said are using fake Google reviews.

“This has definitely impacted my business as well as other businesses in the area as well,” said the business owner.

According to John, his competitor uses fake five-star reviews, which he claims are costing him customers.

He feels Google should crack down on fraud.

“At the end of the day when a business is buying reviews to outrank visibility against competitors in the area that’s just unfair,” he said.

As for Dean, she says it’s important for everyone to know the reviews online aren’t always true.

Dean says Google makes a lot of money through advertising and needs to do more to stop them and to create a level playing field.

“My advice for consumers would be to go back to the tried and true method of getting information by word of mouth. Not to rely on reviews because the space is saturated with fake reviews, both positive and negative,” Dean said.

With files from Farah Chandani