The short answer: No. Buying fake reviews has been explicitly prohibited in Germany since May 2022. The German Act Against Unfair Competition (Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb, UWG) classes the submission and the commissioning of fake consumer reviews as always unlawful. Anyone who orders fake reviews from an agency risks cease-and-desist letters, claims for injunctive relief and damages, and the deletion of reviews or profiles. Asking genuine customers for their opinion in a neutral way remains permitted.
The offers sound tempting: stars by the package, delivered fast, "guaranteed inconspicuous". As early as 2020, the Bundeskartellamt (Germany's Federal Cartel Office) described specialized providers from whom positive reviews can be bought – often written by people who receive free products or other benefits in return, and in some cases generated by bots. At the time, the authority called fake reviews a widespread phenomenon.
Since then, one thing above all has changed: the legal position. What used to have to be pursued indirectly as misleading conduct is now set out in black and white in the statute. The decisive question is therefore no longer whether bought reviews are prohibited, but how high the risk turns out to be in a given case – and where the line runs between a permitted request and impermissible manipulation.
What exactly does the UWG prohibit when it comes to buying reviews?
At the core is the so-called "blacklist" in the Annex to § 3 (3) UWG. The commercial practices listed there are always unlawful – without any weighing of the individual case and without proof of damage. Two numbers are relevant for reviews:
- No. 23c prohibits submitting or commissioning fake consumer reviews or endorsements, as well as misrepresenting consumer reviews or endorsements on social media for sales promotion purposes.
- No. 23b prohibits claiming that reviews come from genuine purchasers or users when no reasonable and proportionate steps have been taken to verify this.
On top of that comes a disclosure duty: anyone who makes consumer reviews accessible must disclose, under § 5b (3) UWG, whether and how they ensure that the reviews come from genuine customers. These rules go back to the European Omnibus Directive and have applied in Germany since 28 May 2022.
❌ Myth: "If an agency writes and publishes the reviews, I as the business am not liable."
✔ Fact: No. 23c expressly covers the commissioning of fake reviews as well. Whoever places the order is themselves acting unlawfully. The OLG Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court) went further still in 2024: a lawyer who had marked reviews on his own page with "Like" and commented on them had thereby adopted them as his own.
What forms of review buying are there – and what is allowed?
Not every form of consideration is to be judged the same way. The overview below places typical practices in context. The "Google" column shows that platform rules are often stricter than the law.
| Practice | UWG classification | Google policies | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fake reviews via an agency or review exchange | Prohibited (Annex No. 23c) | Prohibited | Very high |
| Friends or acquaintances reviewing without genuine customer contact | Fake review, unfair | Prohibited (conflict of interest) | High |
| Discount or gift only for positive reviews | Unfair, misleading | Prohibited | High |
| Free product in return for an honest, clearly labelled review | According to the Bundeskartellamt, defensible only with clear labelling | Prohibited (incentive) | Medium |
| Tool forwards only satisfied customers to Google | Legally delicate, can be misleading | Prohibited (review gating) | Medium to high |
| Asking genuine customers neutrally by QR code or link | Permitted (by email, SMS, WhatsApp only with consent) | Explicitly provided for | Low |
The table reveals a pattern: the more tightly the consideration is tied to a positive review, and the less the reader learns about it, the clearer the violation. Google's help page even classes free or discounted products in return for a review as strictly prohibited fake engagement – regardless of whether the review turns out to be honest.
What consequences do you face for buying reviews?
The consequences rarely come from a public authority; they usually come from competitors, associations and platforms.
Competitors, associations and chambers. Competitors, registered trade and consumer associations, and chambers such as the IHK (chamber of industry and commerce) and the Handwerkskammer (chamber of skilled crafts) can issue cease-and-desist letters over unfair practices (§ 8 (3) UWG). The typical end point is a cease-and-desist declaration backed by a penalty clause. Anyone who breaches it pays a contractual penalty. On top of that come legal fees and, where applicable, damages under § 9 UWG – for competitors and, since May 2022, under certain conditions for consumers too.
Platforms. Google, Amazon and other portals delete conspicuous reviews and restrict profiles. For 2025, Google reports more than 292 million reviews blocked or removed and more than 13 million fake business profiles removed. The expensively purchased review package can therefore simply vanish.
Fines. Exaggerated figures circulate here.
❌ Myth: "Anyone who buys reviews has to reckon with a fine of 4% of annual turnover."
✔ Fact: § 19 UWG provides for fines only in the case of widespread infringements that are pursued as part of a coordinated EU-wide enforcement action. The standard ceiling is up to 50,000 euros. Only for companies with more than 1.25 million euros in annual turnover in the member states concerned can it rise to up to 4% of turnover. For the individual case of a local business, cease-and-desist letters are the more realistic risk.
What do rulings and proceedings on bought reviews show?
The case law leaves fake reviews no room. Three proceedings show how differently those involved can be hit:
The OLG Düsseldorf (judgment of 11.01.2024, case no. I-20 U 91/23) dealt with a lawyer whose Facebook page carried reviews that, according to the competitor bringing the claim, did not come from genuine clients. The lawyer could not match a single review to a client, and his blanket denial was not enough for the court. It treated the reviews as fake within the meaning of No. 23c. And because the lawyer had marked them with "Like" and commented on them, he adopted them as his own.
The LG München I (Munich I Regional Court, default judgment of 14.11.2019, case no. 17 HK O 1734/19) hit the selling side. Following a claim by HolidayCheck, a review broker was barred from selling any further hotel reviews written by people who had never stayed there. He had to have the fake reviews deleted and disclose who had written them. For buyers of such services, that is unwelcome news: courts can order the background to fake reviews to be disclosed.
Amazon is taking systematic action too. According to a report from December 2024, the founder of a German review-brokering network permanently discontinued his offerings after a court settlement. Since 2018, Amazon says it has shut down more than 40 such websites in Germany alone.
Is the risk worth it? A sober reckoning
On paper, buying reviews looks like a shortcut. In practice, the calculation tips over quickly.
✅ What bought reviews promise in the short term:
- A quick rise in the number of reviews and in the star average
- A fuller profile with no effort of your own
❌ What they can actually cost:
- Cease-and-desist costs, contractual penalties and damages
- Deleted reviews and restricted profiles at Google and elsewhere
- A loss of trust when customers recognize the patterns
- Disclosure of the background, should the provider be sued
On top of that comes a strategic problem: bought reviews are interchangeable, vague and often arrive in waves. That is exactly how attentive readers spot manipulation. Our guide how to spot fake reviews shows which warning signs are typical. AI systems, which increasingly make company recommendations, also cross-check statements across several sources – more on that in the article on AI company assessment.
💬 Expert view: "Bought stars are a loan at an unknown rate of interest. Genuine reviews grow more slowly, but they are yours for good." – Lars Hermes
The trend is international. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted a rule against fake reviews in August 2024. Among other things, it prohibits the buying and selling of fake reviews, including AI-generated ones, as well as the suppression of negative reviews through threats.
What is the legal alternative to buying reviews?
The legal route is unspectacular but effective: ask genuine customers for their opinion neutrally at the right moment – by QR code, by link or, with consent, by email, with nothing in return and no pre-filtering. Our guide on getting more Google reviews explains how to put that into practice step by step, templates included.
And what if a single negative review distorts the picture? Then buying is the wrong answer. Check instead whether the review breaches the rules, and follow the route set out in our guide getting a Google review removed.
Conclusion: Bought stars are the most expensive kind of reviews
Since 2022 the legal position has been unambiguous: anyone who buys or commissions fake reviews is always acting unlawfully. The biggest risk is rarely a fine; it is the combination of a cease-and-desist letter, a platform sanction and a loss of trust. And the courts hold not only sellers to account, but also the businesses that use such reviews or adopt them as their own.
The better investment is a system that reliably gets genuine customers to leave reviews. Check today which of your customer contacts are suitable for a neutral review request. And if you want to bundle your genuine reviews from several portals transparently, you can register your company with reviewfinder.
Frequently asked questions
Is buying reviews a criminal offence?
First and foremost, buying fake reviews is a competition-law violation under the UWG. It leads to civil consequences such as a cease-and-desist letter, an injunction and damages. Fines are provided for only in the case of widespread infringements pursued in a coordinated EU-wide action. Whether criminal provisions apply on top of that in a particular case depends on the circumstances and should be checked by a lawyer.
Can I reward customers for a review?
On Google, no: incentives such as discounts or free products in return for reviews are prohibited there. Legally, a reward for a positive review is unfair. The Bundeskartellamt considered consideration for an honest review defensible only with clear labelling. The platform rules apply regardless.
How do platforms detect bought reviews?
Platforms use automated filters and manual checks. Sudden waves of reviews, new accounts with no review history, similar wording, or reviews with no identifiable customer contact are all conspicuous. In 2025, Google says it blocked or removed more than 292 million policy-violating reviews.
What can I do if a competitor buys reviews?
Report conspicuous reviews directly to the platform. As a competitor you may also have a competition-law claim for injunctive relief – provided you really are in competition and can prove the violation. Secure evidence such as dated screenshots, and seek advice from a law firm specializing in competition law.
