po polsku
illustration: DALL-EAccording to the latest survey by TRUSTMATE.io from Poland, more than a third of respondents (39%) believe they’ve encountered fake reviews online. Even more alarming? One in four admits they can’t tell the difference between genuine feedback and fabricated praise. It’s not just an annoyance - it’s a sign of how sophisticated these deceitful techniques have become.
| Have you encountered fake reviews about companies or products online? | % |
|---|---|
| Rather yes | 20.9% |
| Definitely yes | 18.1% |
| Rather not | 27.0% |
| Definitely not | 9.5% |
| I don`t know | 24.5% |
Fake Reviews. Are We Being Fooled?
The numbers tell an interesting story. Men are more likely than women to report encountering fake reviews: 44.2% of men compared to 34.3% of women. Women, on the other hand, are more uncertain - 28.4% selected “I don’t know,” compared to 20.2% of men. Does this mean women are more cautious, or are the fakes simply harder to detect?
Apparently, it does. People with higher education are more likely to firmly state that they’ve encountered fake reviews (23%) than those with only primary education (18.9%). However, those with secondary education were the most unsure, often selecting "I don’t know" as their answer.
This trend suggests that while higher education may increase critical thinking, it might also heighten awareness of how difficult it is to spot a fake among the real.
Urban Legends. Age and City Size and Review Awareness
Where you live might affect your review radar. Respondents from major cities (over 500,000 residents) are the most likely to say “definitely yes” to spotting fake reviews. Meanwhile, people in towns between 20,000 and 49,000 residents seem the most skeptical, with the highest rate of “rather not” responses.
The level of uncertainty peaks in cities with 100,000–199,000 people, where nearly 30% say they just don’t know. Urban anonymity or digital overload? The data leaves room for interpretation.
Young adults (18–34 years old) are the most likely to believe they’ve seen fake reviews. Interestingly, the certainty of encountering manipulation declines with age, while skepticism and uncertainty grow. The oldest respondents (65+) often choose “definitely not” or “I don’t know.” Perhaps digital natives are just more attuned to online traps - or maybe older generations are more trusting?
What Can We Do?
TRUSTMATE.io`s report underscores a growing need for vigilance. Consumers must sharpen their critical thinking, and platforms need to double down on authentication tools. Reviews remain a key part of online decision-making - but the real value lies in knowing which ones to trust.
Survey conducted in Poland by UCE Research on behalf of TRUSTMATE.io, March 2025, using a representative CAWI sample of 1008 Polish respondents.More data: https://TrustMate.io
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Marketing and PR
Connected TV and borderless advertising. The ID5 report
KFi
Viewers are moving away from cable TV. And they are doing it en masse. Already 86% of Europeans watch content via Connected TV and global ad spend in this segment is set to double by 2028. The industry is undergoing a communication revolution.
AI will take up to 70% of traffic from online stores. TrustMate Report
KFi
There is a quiet but radical change happening online. Traditional SEO, which for decades determined brand visibility, is losing its relevance. Now, it's no longer search engines that define a company’s online presence, but generative artificial intelligence.
How to find topics for communication
Aleksander Pawzun
"We have nothing to say" is a phrase heard all too often. Yet practice shows that every business has the potential to tell stories. You just need to learn how to spot them and turn them into content that appeals to your audience.
See articles on a similar topic:
LabOOOratorium. Education, Business and Win-Win-Win Cooperation
fundacja OOO
How to combine diversifying activities in kindergartens and schools with setting innovative trends in education and social engagement of businesses? The educational foundation Ogólnopolski Operator Oświaty and the company Musicon show how to do it right.
Internet Subscriptions: Market Value, Development Trends, and... Risks
KrzysztoF
According to McKinsey & Company, the number of subscription users globally has increased by over 17% in the past year. A report from UBS Group AG indicates that the total value of the global subscription market will reach as much as $1.5 trillion by 2025. This is twice as much as in 2020!
Customers Flirting with Service Bots. What Contact Center Research Says
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Research by Infobip shows that nearly 20% of Americans engage in flirtatious conversations with bots while handling standard customer service issues. This trend is particularly evident among people aged 35 to 44, where more than half of respondents admitted to flirting with a virtual assistant.
Rising Google Ads click costs. How to keep campaigns profitable?
Patrycja Kranc
In 2024 the average cost per click (CPC) rose in 86% of industries. In e-commerce and real estate, increases reached dozens of percent. Optimisation is becoming crucial, not only for campaigns but for the entire customer acquisition process.
