The short version: Trustpilot doesn't allow fake reviews and says it removes them, and anyone, businesses included, can flag a review that breaks its guidelines. But businesses that misuse the flagging tool risk an account suspension or a Consumer Warning. On top of Trustpilot's rules, the US FTC review rule and the UK CMA guidance make fake reviews a legal problem too.
I've watched business owners panic over a single suspicious one-star review, and I've watched others quietly wonder whether a few 'friendly' five-stars would hurt. Both groups need the same facts: what Trustpilot bans, how to report what slips through, and where the law comes in. This is general information from the official pages, and those pages govern your situation.
What Trustpilot's own guidelines ban
Trustpilot's guidelines for reviewers are blunt: fake reviews aren't allowed and will be removed. The same guidelines tell reviewers not to write incentivised reviews, for example where they've been offered something in connection with writing one. Reviewers can also flag reviews or products they believe break the rules.
Its guidelines for businesses say the same thing from the other side. Fake reviews are strictly prohibited and will be removed. Trustpilot also admits that some things slip through the net, and says everyone in its community can help by reporting them.
Platform rules and the law, compared
| Body | What it says | The detail people miss (as of Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot, reviewer guidelines | Fake reviews aren't allowed and will be removed | Incentivised reviews are banned too, not just invented ones |
| Trustpilot, business guidelines | Businesses can flag reviews that breach the guidelines | Misusing the flagging tool can lead to account suspension or a Consumer Warning |
| US, FTC review rule (16 CFR Part 465) | Bans businesses writing, creating or selling reviews that misrepresent the reviewer | The rule also has a section on review suppression; its source is the Federal Register, Aug. 22, 2024 |
| UK, CMA reviews guidance | Writing or commissioning fake reviews could lead to a substantial penalty or criminal action | Fines can reach up to 10% of global turnover, and you may be liable for an agency's actions |
| UK, CMA unfair commercial practices | Fake reviews are among the practices unfair in all circumstances | Sites publishing reviews must take reasonable and proportionate steps to stop fakes |
| Google, Maps content policy | Lists paid reviews as prohibited content | Payment in kind counts, not just cash |
The catch: the flag button cuts both ways
Most guides stop at 'report it'. Trustpilot's business guidelines add a warning that matters. Businesses can flag reviews that breach the guidelines, with harmful content or personal information given as examples, but misuse of the flagging tool isn't tolerated.
And the consequence is public. Trustpilot says misuse of the platform can lead to actions such as account suspension or a Consumer Warning placed on your profile. A warning label in front of every potential customer is a far bigger problem than one unfair review.
So flag what breaks the rules, not what simply hurts. A review you disagree with isn't the same as a review that breaches the guidelines, and treating it as one can backfire.
Where the law steps in
In the US, the FTC's Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials sits at 16 CFR Part 465, with its source given as the Federal Register of Aug. 22, 2024. It makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for a business to write, create or sell a review that misrepresents whether the reviewer exists or whether they had any experience with the product. The rule also includes a section headed review suppression, aimed at businesses that try to keep real reviews off the record.
In the UK, the CMA's reviews guidance says writing or commissioning fake reviews could lead to a substantial penalty or criminal action, with fines of up to 10% of global turnover. It tells businesses not to pretend to be customers, not to commission third parties to write fake reviews, and not to offer money or gifts for positive reviews.
The line I'd underline twice: the CMA says you may be liable for a third party's actions. If a PR, marketing or SEO agency works on your reviews, make sure they follow the same rules, because their shortcut can land on you.
Handling a suspected fake review, step by step
- Read the review against Trustpilot's guidelines, and note which rule you think it breaks.
- Check your own side first: no reviews written by staff, no paid reviews, no incentives, and no agency arranging any of these for you.
- Flag the review through Trustpilot if it breaches the guidelines, for example with harmful content or personal information.
- Flag once, with a clear reason. Repeated or tactical flagging is the misuse Trustpilot says it won't tolerate.
- Reply publicly and calmly while you wait, so future customers see how you handle criticism.
- If you also trade on Google, remember its Maps policy lists paid reviews, including payment in kind, as prohibited.
For the reply itself, my guide on how to reply to reviews carries over well to Trustpilot, and these online reputation tips help with the bigger picture.
Keeping your own review profile clean
The flip side of fake reviews is fake positivity. Trustpilot bans incentivised reviews, the CMA says don't offer money or gifts for positive ones, and Google lists reviews paid for directly or in kind as prohibited. A free product for a five-star review breaks all three.
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If Trustpilot doesn't suit your business, there are other review platforms worth comparing, but every one of them sits under the same laws.
My take
Don't chase every bad review with the flag button, and never buy or arrange good ones. Flag what clearly breaks the rules, reply to the rest, and check that nobody working for you is gaming reviews on your behalf. The penalties for getting it wrong now come from regulators as well as from the platform.
If you'd like help automating the review requests and reputation reporting that keep your profile healthy, that's work I do. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report a fake review on Trustpilot?
Trustpilot says reviewers and businesses can flag reviews they believe breach its guidelines, so use the flag option on the review with a clear reason.
Does Trustpilot remove fake reviews?
Yes. Its guidelines say fake reviews aren't allowed and will be removed, and that the community can report anything that slips through.
Is it illegal to post fake reviews?
In the US, the FTC rule at 16 CFR Part 465 treats writing or selling misleading reviews as an unfair or deceptive practice. In the UK, the CMA says it could lead to a substantial penalty or criminal action.
Can I pay for Trustpilot reviews?
No. Trustpilot bans incentivised reviews, and the CMA tells businesses not to offer money or gifts for positive reviews.
Can a business threaten a reviewer?
The FTC rule includes a section on review suppression, so trying to keep real reviews down is covered by US law as well as platform rules.
What happens to a business that misuses the flag tool?
Trustpilot says misuse of the platform can lead to account suspension or a Consumer Warning on the business profile.
