Have you ever combed through Google reviews looking for the perfect person to provide you with a home service? Maybe that be a locksmith, a plumber, an electrician, or moving company. Whatever the case may be, imagine finding what you think is the right fit because of all the tons of 5 star Google reviews, all to find out they performed subpar work which cost you an arm and a leg.
You wouldn’t be the only one to experience this. This is a huge problem across Google. Fake reviews are everywhere! We’re here to give you some tips to spot some of these fake reviews so you don’t end up disappointed in the end.
1) Don’t Fall for a Company Claiming to be in Business for Awhile
Did you know a lot of companies lie about how long they’ve been in business on Google? Ever seen a random company you’ve never heard of claiming to have been in business for 10 plus years on their Google Business Profile?
This is because the opening date of a company can easily be manipulated. When you claim your business in Google, there is a field a company can enter as their start date and Google just uses that date to determine how long your company has been operating.
Take a look at this photo below as proof.
The start dates and years in business for companies on Google should really be taken lightly when determining which company you should use.
2) How Often are the Reviews Coming In?
If you see 10 plus reviews all being given out on the same day or even the same week or month, there’s a chance the company has paid a service to write them fake reviews.
Fake review companies are popping up more and more. Here at 911 Locksmith and Security, we receive at least one email a week, offering their services to provide a bunch of fake reviews for us across platforms like Google, Yelp, Facebook, Better Business Bureau and beyond. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the picture below.
Many smaller businesses are actually buying these packages and services to try and get ahead on Google rankings.
3) Check Out the Profiles of the Reviewers
Another thing while reading a company’s reviews, is check out the profiles that are leaving said reviews.
When you click on the profile of one of the people and see that their profile is either private or they have not left any reviews aside from the one, this is a huge red flag.
An even bigger red flag is to see every other review on the page having this same bland looking profile, with no other reviews.
Reviews you can count on come from customer’s who have a legitimate profile picture, rate other businesses in and around the area, and have the Local Guide badge associated with their profile. Take a look at the example of a good reviewer below.
This isn’t to say all profiles that look like that above are legit, but it’s a good indication when you see several of these types of profiles reviewing the same company.
4) Analyze the Name of The Company
If the business name is just keywords like “Affordable Plumber” plus the name of a city, like Los Angeles – this should also raise a huge red flag.
A lot of times, real companies are going to have a real name or company name associated with the business like “Joe’s Plumbing – Dallas, Texas.”
Their company will also be able to be easily searched across platforms across the internet like Yelp, Angi’s List, Nextdoor, the Better Business Bureau, Facebook and more.
If you are having a hard time locating a business on any other platform outside of a Google Business Profile, this is a problem.
We hope these tips help when you are determining who to choose for your next home renovation task or service. More and more scammers are coming up with clever ways to bait and switch customers into hiring them for a job they are not capable of doing or equipped enough to do.
911 Locksmith & Security is Always Here To Help!
When it comes to lock installation or home security, 911 Locksmith & Security is here to help you up your security game at your home, rental property, business, and more!
For a closer look at our pricing and to easily schedule an appointment for us to come out to your home, click here.
We have a team of trained lock experts and professionals to assist you and attend to all your concerns!
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