In April of this year, Amazon filed suit against the operators of websites that offered Amazon sellers the ability to purchase fake, four and five-star reviews of their products. Most of those websites have now been closed, and Amazon took action against the sellers involved. Now Amazon is continuing its crackdown on fake reviews by going after individuals who provide these sort of fake reviews – this time, those who used the online freelancing marketplace fiverr.com.
The defendants in the new case, listed as “John Does,” each used Fiverr.com to sell fake positive or 5-star Amazon reviews. In some cases, they even offered “verified” reviews, meaning those where they buy the product – provided they’re compensated for that, of course. Other times, they also tell the purchaser to just provide the product review and they’ll post it.
The Fiverr site, for those unfamiliar, is an online marketplace where users can offer small tasks and services that begin at just $5, which is where it got its name. Most of the small jobs, or “gigs,” as they’re called are focused on things like offering writing, translation, design, editing, or programming, help. Of course, the site also became a resource for those looking for fake reviews and ratings, not only on Amazon, but also on other sites and services, including app stores.
Read the rest over at TechCrunch.
