Consumer Alerts: Zero Tolerance For Review Manipulation

Today we’re releasing a new round of 90 Consumer Alerts to notify consumers of businesses that have attempted to mislead them.

We already discourage businesses from asking their customers to write reviews because review solicitation programs tend to bias selectively toward positive reviewers. Our recommendation software works to sniff out these subtle biases, which will invariably frustrate business owners who are trying to boost their ratings.

Our Consumer Alert program provides an added layer of consumer protection against more extreme attempts to manipulate ratings. A team of skilled detectives at Yelp has worked tirelessly to track down the most egregious offenders, from offering cash in exchange for positive reviews to attempting to pay off customers to remove negative reviews.

We think consumers deserve to know when someone  is attempting to mislead them, which is why we’re posting these alerts today.

Some of the offenders in this round include:

• Premiere Dental Care – A dental office incentivizing patients to write a positive review in exchange for a $30 credit towards their next visit

• Appliance Repair Service LLC – An appliance repair company offering $100 to change a negative Yelp review

• Molecular Cleaning Services – A cleaning company soliciting fake reviews of their new business in exchange for up to $50

When searching for services like these, it’s crucial that consumers have the facts. We are dedicated to protecting consumers’ peace of mind and preserving trust, and will continue to track down these attempts to deceive people looking for places to spend their hard-earned money.

Consumer Alerts remain on a business page for 90 days. We rely heavily on tips from the community, so if you see any suspicious behavior, please report it to help us continue to keep Yelp a safe and reliable source.