Ever bought a product on Amazon based on a review?

Amazon and the Better Business Bureau have filed a joint lawsuit accusing ReviewServiceUSA.com of allegedly selling fake positive reviews that appear on Amazon’s product pages and Better Business Bureau profiles.

Amazon says the action marks its first joint lawsuit against fake review brokers. The lawsuit seeks to shut down ReviewServiceUSA’s “deceptive operations,” the company says. Both Amazon and the Better Business Bureau have policies that prohibit fraudulent reviews.

“Amazon is committed to ensuring reviews remain a trustworthy, insightful resource for consumers worldwide and we have zero tolerance for any attempts to mislead our customers through fake reviews,” says Claire O’Donnell, Amazon’s director of selling partner trust & store integrity. “This lawsuit sends a clear message to bad actors that Amazon will use all available means to preserve the authenticity of product reviews.”

Amazon has poured considerable resources in recent years to prevent fake reviews, and says it blocked more than 250 million suspected fraudulent reviews from its store in 2023. The company notes that last year two review brokers received sentences of two-and-a-half years apiece for facilitating fake reviews.