A new app scheduled to launch this summer hopes to tackle fake online reviews.
Danny Antwi is the founder of Canada-based RaveOrBash, an app that will provide consumers with verified reviews. Anyone wanting to post an online review about a restaurant or hotel must provide a photo of their receipt.
“If you haven’t been there and you don’t have proof of experience or receipt, you can’t review and you can’t share an opinion,” Antwi said.
Small business owners like Kyla Rawlins and Geremie Voigt, who own North Vancouver’s Buddha-Full organic restaurant, welcome any tool that can curb fake reviews.
“People really believe in what they read,” Vogt said. “When someone does a fake review, they are going off of something that’s not really true and that’s going to impact our business.”
Tech expert Tristan Jutras said consumers should always approach online reviews with caution, especially ones that appear too good to be true.
Web tools like Fakespot and Review Skeptic are also helpful in identifying bogus reviews. Jutras also recommends checking the profiles of reviewers and the age of the account. It’s also a good idea, he says, to cross-reference reviews and report any abuse.
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