Because of its size and scope, Facebook is no stranger to scams and criminal activity. And one of the most persistent rip-offs on the platform involves fake review “factories” that offer free Amazon items, refunds, gift cards, and more in exchange for positive reviews. Facebook has long promised to crack down on this activity — but according to a recent report from consumer advocacy organization ‘Which?’, these fake review schemes are still spreading like wildfire on the platform.

“Facebook… [is] failing to adequately tackle fake review factories on their platforms, making it easy for unscrupulous firms and fake review agents to evade weak checks by some of the biggest online platforms and shopping sites,” consumer advocate Rocio Concha said. “This risks seriously undermining consumer trust in online reviews.”

Of course, these schemes harm more than just consumer trust in reviews. In many cases, the unwitting members of these fake review groups are ripped off entirely, and never receive the items they’ve been promised. Beyond that, they serve to erode trust in Facebook itself — a strong incentive for the company to take action. And yet, because these cybercriminals often operate in private groups, it’s difficult for the company to catch them all. As usual, even when Facebook is doing its best, it’s virtually impossible for the platform to ever truly solve this issue.

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