5 Ways to Spot Fake Reviews on DHGate

Table of Contents

1. There are multiple review photos, all taken in good lighting and angles and with product packaging.
2. The "customer" is from an English-speaking country but uses awkward phrases and bad grammar in their written review.
3. Check for reviews that sound too similar.
4. Look for reviews with images that are obviously stock photos.
5. Look out for product review photos that feature models.

There will be anomalies but use your good judgement in determining what's likely real and fake and this will serve as a good guide for spotting fake reviews on DHGate. 

Now, let's look at some examples...

1. There are multiple review photos, all taken in good lighting and angles and with product packaging.

This is our first example product, a Gucci Marmont dupe in black leather...

Most DHGate buyers are lazy when taking customer review photos. Most customers don't post review photos at all. And when, they do, it's usually haphazardly done in low lighting and only 1 or 2 photos. But when you come across a review that has multiple photos (usually 3 or more) and very uniform shots with good lighting, you can bet that the seller posted this review himself or paid someone to do it...

Effort was put into taking these photos. Notice how the Gucci packaging is placed in view of the camera. Packaging in the background of most photos is a hallmark of fake reviews!

2. The "customer" is from an English-speaking country but uses awkward phrases and bad grammar in their written review.

The DHGate website and app usually tells you from which country a review has been posted. Pay close attention to reviews from native English-speaking countries (such as the United States and England). Most DHGate sellers are not totally fluent in English so if they write a review, the review with reflect that. If you suspect the review is fake, look out for awkward phrases, improper use of tense, and words that are being misused...

Let's go back to the black Gucci Marmont bag...

The review above is supposed to be written by someone from the United States. The highlighted section of the written review above is one long run-on sentence. Notice use of the word "businessman" (referring to the "seller"?). Here are more awkward phrases: "... from the point of the packaging itself" (not sure what to make of that); "... I think it is better than the quality of the shop too much"... This entire sentence could have been partially translated using translating software such as Google Translate.

3. Check for reviews that sound too similar.

Notice that these two different reviews are nearly the same...

These are the same review but with different wording each time.

Additionally, both of these reviews are good examples of that awkward phrasing we talked about before. In the context of a handbag, what would make the leather "comfortable"? The speaker was likely searching for another word used to describe handbag material texture or thickness... And remember the strange use of the term "business man" from our earlier review? That is also repeated in the second review above.

4. Look for reviews with images that are obviously stock photos.

Some seller's make little effort to create convincing fake reviews. So look out for reviews that include product photos that are clearly too professional and obviously not taken by a buyer.

This Fendi dupe bathing suit review is a great example...

Not only did the seller use factory photos in this fake review but they also used photos from a website that sells the authentic product.

5. Look out for product review photos that feature models.

Another great way to spot fake reviews is looking for photos with models. It's not always easy to spot because in this case, you're not looking for a Victoria's Secret model. The models I'm referring to are more like retail catalog models. The review below of this replica Prada jacket is a perfect example...

The fourth photo shows a model wearing the Prada jacket but given how well-lit the shot is, it is not likely to be a real customer. In fact, once you start using Korean and Chinese marketplace websites such as Taobao and Gmarket, you'll see lots more models that look like the one in this photo.

Final Notes

It's important to note that even though the reviews can be fake, the product you receive may still be the exact quality shown in the photos. These tips are only meant to keep you on your guard. A seller with fake reviews may still have great customer service and ship their orders on time. Just scrutinize every customer review before making a purchase to increase your chances of making a successful order.