How to Spot Fake Reviews of Builders and Tradespeople
Reviews are the first thing most people check before hiring a trade, which is exactly why some are not genuine. You can’t always prove a review is fake, but you can learn to read reviews in a way that makes manipulation much less effective.
Patterns that deserve a second look
No single sign proves a review is fake. Look for several together.
- Many reviews posted within a few days, then nothing for months
- Vague praise with no detail about the actual job (“Great service, highly recommend!”)
- Reviewer profiles with only one review ever written
- Very similar wording or phrasing across different reviewers
- A perfect score on one platform but frequent complaints elsewhere
What genuine reviews usually contain
Real customers tend to mention specifics: the job (a boiler swap, a loft conversion), the area, how long it took, a named person on site, and something that didn’t go perfectly. Balanced reviews — mostly positive with a small gripe — are often the most trustworthy.
Compare across platforms
The strongest protection is comparing several sources. Hammerscore company pages bring together ratings collected from different platforms, show which platform each came from, and link to the original source so you can judge it yourself. Where we only hold a rating and not the review text, we say so rather than inventing it.
Read how the business replies
How a company responds to criticism tells you a lot. A calm reply that offers to fix the problem is a good sign. Aggressive replies, or blaming the customer every time, suggest how you might be treated if something goes wrong.
Report reviews you think are wrong
If you see a review on Hammerscore you believe is inaccurate, inappropriate or about the wrong company, use the report button on that review. Reports are reviewed by a person; reporting does not automatically remove content.
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