This Is A Five-Star Article

Checkatrade has issued a warning that your customers are at risk of falling foul of rogue traders owing to a spike in websites attempting to sell tradespeople fake five-star reviews.

Checkatrade is urging tradespeople not to buy them and homeowners to choose trusted platforms to check before they have any work on their home.

Checkatrade’s ScamWatch platform has identified that multiple websites are offering false positive reviews, written by people who have never used a trade’s business and charging as little as £7 for the service.

Reviews carry a lot of weight

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has estimated that £23 billion of UK consumer spending a year is potentially influenced by online reviews. Fake reviews can make a new or poorly rated business look established and well-regarded, which misleads homeowners at the point they choose who to trust with their home.

It’s illegal

The law is clear. Since April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act has banned fake reviews. The CMA can fine businesses up to 10% of turnover (or £300,000 if greater).

Checkatrade has zero tolerance for fake reviews. Any business found attempting to buy them faces serious penalties, including removal from the platform. Checkatrade's systems combine AI and human expertise to detect and prevent thousands of fake reviews every month.

Emma Grant, Director of Experience, Checkatrade, said: “Great tradespeople are out there. The best are proud to show you their work. Homeowners should look for genuine reviews from real customers, verified credentials and a track record they can check.

“The danger is bad actors who buy a good reputation instead of earning one. They put homeowners at risk and undercut the hard-working tradespeople who do it properly.

We need good tradespeople to advise their customers to choose a review platform they can trust, which is compliant with CMA guidelines. And if something looks too good to be true, ask to see the proof."

A warning from ScamWatch

The ScamWatch website has this warning for consumers that will also worry legitimate FENSA or Certass registered installers: ‘scammers have always tried to look legitimate but AI tools now make it far easier for a rogue trader to appear trustworthy in minutes. ‘We're seeing rogue operators use AI to generate convincing fake trade certificates and accreditation logos

‘They can even build whole fake ‘local, family-run’ business identities complete with AI-generated photos of a shopfront or a smiling owner who doesn't exist.

“Every trade body has an official online register. Search the trader's name or licence number there yourself (just like we do for you at Checkatrade)’.

Picture: Fake reviews can easily be created.

www.checkatrade.com