Consumer Alerts: Deceptive review tactics? Not on our watch.

Today, Yelp is releasing a round of 149 Consumer Alerts in an effort to unveil extreme attempts to mislead consumers. While the majority of businesses on Yelp are good actors, our recommendation software, dedicated users, and team of skilled investigators work together to limit the few bad actors’ efforts to skew results for everyone else. The Consumer Alerts Program was founded in 2012 as an early component of Yelp’s larger Consumer Protection Initiative, which aims to empower and protect consumers, and allow them to make informed spending decisions. We place a Consumer Alert on any impacted Yelp business pages for 90 days.

Wouldn’t you want to know that SkinHealth Centers were caught offering to refund an unhappy customer in exchange for removing a 1-star review? Or maybe you’d think twice before rushing into Elite Care 24 Hour Emergency Room, which had a large number of positive reviews coming from the same IP address, suggesting an attempt to deceptively manipulate reviews. Similarly, you’d probably want a heads up on Crissy Markova, DMD – Virginia Center For Orthodontics who was offering a refund of a patient’s treatment fee contingent on an agreement that prohibited any online reviews.

Whether integrating restaurant health scores or incorporating health care statistics into Yelp business pages for medical treatment facilities, Yelp is dedicated to assisting consumers find helpful information about local businesses. Though our team of investigators works hard to help keep Yelp useful, we also welcome tips from the community. If you see suspicious activity or tactics related to Yelp, please let us know.