Black market for fake Tripadvisor reviews thrives

Underhand hotel properties are routinely advertising for freelance writers to post fake reviews on TripAdvisor in order to boost their ratings on the website, according to a report in The Sunday Times.

The UK paper claims that reviews are being bought for as little as $4.90 and 'reviewers' are encouraged to change email and IP addresses in order to avoid being caught out by TripAdvisor.

The Sunday Times report detailed an advertisement on freelancer.com from a Vietnamese hotel offering $250 for information on how to write fake reviews that can go undetected by TripAdvisor.

The revelations follow a report in The Daily Mail which said some hotels are bribing guests to write glowing reviews in exchange for incentives such as cut-price rooms and meals.

The Cove Hotel in Cornwall may face an inquiry for breaching TripAdvisor rules, after handing out a letter to guests inviting them to join the  'Friends of the Cove' scheme. Guests are offered 10% off food and drink in the hotel restaurant and a 'free apartment upgrade' in return for becoming 'brand champions' and posting an 'honest but positive view' on  TripAdvisor.