Fake TripAdvisor reviewers must remove reviews or face legal action

Kwikchex are to publish a list of thousands of reviewers they believe have posted fraudulent reviews on the TripAdvisor website. TripAdvisor is a great source for travellers all over the world, but hoteliers' reputations are being damaged by fake reviews.

Once the list of suspects is published, holiday businesses will have the chance to contact the reviewers directly to request that they remove their review. If they don't comply and the reviewers are found to be fraudsters, they could face legal action.

Many hoteliers believe the TripAdvisor website isn't properly policed by allowing defamatory reviews to be published. For some, the damage to their business is irreversible.

An owner of a previously successful complex of holiday cottages had his reputation damaged when a fake reviewer left a dreadful review on TripAdvisor. But owner of the establishment was on holiday when the review was published. He criticised TripAdvisor for allowing the review to be published at all and the website has refused to remove it.

TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel website. It has around 40 million hits a month and it's constantly being updated with new reviews. False reviews can sometimes be spotted if they are alongside lots of positive reviews, but it is hard to determine the truth.

Once the list of potential offenders is published, Kwikchex hopes that hoteliers can repair some of the damage done to their businesses due to fake TripAdvisor reviews.

A spokesman for Kwikchex said: ‘People who leave these anonymous reviews, which can damage the reputation of both businesses and individuals, need to realise that not only can they be sued for libel but they can also face criminal prosecution. This will commence with a court application for disclosure of all information held by the website publisher regarding the identity of the poster, in order for the business to be able to repair the damage done to its reputation.'

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