Scammers are now using ChatGPT to write Amazon reviews, give 5 stars to products

By Abhik SenguptaFake reviews on e-commerce platforms, like Amazon and Flipkart, aren’t a new phenomenon, but it appears the problem is getting much worse with the wide availability of free-to-use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Bing. Users are already spotting fake reviews on Amazon written via tools like ChatGPT, which could get much worse if not mitigated soon. Users, in most cases, noticed fake reviews starting with “As an AI language model.” It means that the uploader (readscammer) did not bother to proofread and has copied the text as it is. However, there must be many such reviews written by ChatGPT where the uploader has tweaked the text to appear as a genuine review to others. That’s equally bad, since customer reviews play a key role when purchasing goods online.

A tweet by a user (@drewcoffman) includes screenshots of multiple fake Amazon reviews written by generative AI. The screenshots highlight that the scammer used tools like ChatGPT to write fake reviews about a waist trimmer, a book for fifth graders, an aquarium light, and a cookbook. Another user (@juokaz) spotted a fake review on Optima batteries. As mentioned, all the reviews start with the text, “As an AI language model,” which clearly indicates the scammer used generative AI to write the user review.

Needless to say, all the products with fake reviews have received a 5-star rating from scammers.

In the past, Amazon and Flipkart have highlighted actions taken by the respective companies to combat fake user reviews. In July 2022, Amazon in a blog said that the company filed “legal action against the administrators of more than 10,000 Facebook groups that attempt to orchestrate fake reviews on Amazon in exchange for money or free products.”

In a separate post published in March 2023, Amazon said it filed lawsuits against six defendants in new legal efforts to protect its customers and selling partners by stopping fake review brokers. Amazon has even spotted websites that help users write fake reviews. Naturally, the company is coming after these websites.

Flipkart also published a post in September 2022 to help users identify fake products and sellers. However, as generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Bing, and Bard keep getting more popular, fake review problems will be on the rise.

Meanwhile, problems with generative AI are not just limited to fake reviews, and cybersecurity experts fear that scammers are using ChatGPT and other tools to create malware. Some tech entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, have warned against the wide adoption of generative AI tools. Others, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, believe that generative AI is going to be a part of society, and users and stakeholders must identify problems at an early stage only.