How to spot fake reviews on RateMDs
When a real patient posts a negative review, there is a chance you can reach out to them privately and address their concern, or you can also help them in any way possible you can. But if the review was completely fabricated by a malicious actor, reaching out to them with customer service techniques would be a total waste of your time and efforts. In this blog, we discuss the different situations in which an individual might post a fake review.
Then, we mentioned a few strategies for distinguishing fake reviews from real ones:
Who Posts Negative and Fake Reviews on RateMDs?
There are commonly three scenarios where a user might publish a fake review:
• For real and actual patients who had a negative experience
• Competitors in your industry
• Third parties who are seeking revenge or have a grudge against you
Find out how to spot fake reviews on RateMDs:
Doctors who constantly keep a check on their online presence can often tell the difference between fake reviews and actual complaints from real patients. There is no foolproof method for identifying fake reviews, so the best advice is to trust your gut.
Below, we provide a few actionable tips to spot fake reviews on RateMDs.com:
1- Consult your business records. There are many reasons to keep detailed administrative and patient records. Not only are they important for staying organized and complying with rules and regulations, but they can also help you determine if a suspicious online review came from an actual customer. Also, if the reviewer included their name while writing, does it match a patient’s name? Do your files contain any mention of the negative experience described in the review? If not, the review may be fake.
2- Look at the timing of the reviews: If you suddenly receive one-star reviews—and you usually receive high ratings from patients—you may have reason to be suspicious. Perhaps a malicious individual or group is trying to damage your online reputation. Also, if you receive more than one negative review, pay attention to when they are posted online. Are they being posted regularly, like daily, weekly, or monthly? Are they usually posted during the time of night when most of your customers would be asleep? These factors may be the reason for your concern.
3- Analyze the Language of the Reviews: Does the review’s wording sound like an actual customer wrote it? Signs of fakeness include: multiple typos and grammatical errors, provocative rhetoric, and promotion of a competitor
4- Professional Review Hit Jobs: One sign of a hit job is that the reviews are written in improper English and vague language (as if the writer did not have a real experience at your practice). Some hit jobs are even organized through social media platforms on which unethical online reputation management experts coordinate to post positive reviews for each other’s clients—or negative reviews for their competitors.
At Build Brand Better, we are experts at working with review platforms to remove fake and defamatory content about our clients. We have vast experience reporting negative reviews, presenting court orders, and filing defamation lawsuits to identify anonymous posters and remove damaging content quickly and efficiently.
We also help doctors navigate the ethical minefield of managing online reviews while remaining compliant with patient privacy regulations.