Free consumer tool

Review pattern checker: what to look at before you trust the stars

Paste a handful of reviews and see which patterns deserve a second look, with a plain explanation for each and an overall caution level. It never labels a review fake: it shows you why to be careful, so you can judge.

Runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.

Paste reviews

Leave a blank line between reviews. Optional lines like "Name: …", "Date: 2026-10-12" and "Rating: 5" unlock more checks.

Nothing pasted yet · checked in your browser, never uploaded

What we noticed

Paste a few reviews (five or more works best) and press Check patterns. You get signals with a plain explanation, never a "fake" verdict.

Method

How it works

  1. Paste the reviews

    Copy reviews from any shop and paste them with a blank line between each. Add Name:, Date: and Rating: lines if you have them; they unlock more checks.

  2. We look for patterns

    Ten plain heuristics run in your browser: superlative density, generic praise, near-duplicate wording (3-word overlap), same-day bursts, free-product mentions, delivery-only reviews, shouting, short 5-star bursts, one-sided ratings and repeated names.

  3. You decide

    Each signal has a severity and a reason. They add up to a low, medium or high caution level. Real reviews can trip any check, so it is a prompt to look closer, not a verdict.

Official guidance:FTC Consumer AdviceFTC ReportFraudNational Consumer Helpline (India)Bureau of Indian Standards

FAQ

Questions people ask

Can this tell me if a review is fake?

No, and no tool can from text alone. It points out patterns that are common in paid, incentivised or copy-pasted reviews so you know where to look. A genuine reviewer can trip a signal, and a careful fake can pass all of them.

Are my pasted reviews uploaded?

No. The checks run in your browser and nothing is sent to AltFTool or anyone else. Refreshing the page clears it.

Why does a free product count as a signal?

Disclosing a free or discounted product is honest and often required. But incentivised reviews tend to be more positive, so it is fair to give them a little less weight than reviews from paying buyers.

How should I read reviews instead?

Sort by most recent and by 2–3 stars, look for details that match how you will use the product, check whether complaints repeat (a pattern of the same fault matters), and compare with reviews on another site.

Where can I report fake reviews?

Report them to the platform first. In the US you can report deceptive practices to the FTC; in India, to the National Consumer Helpline. India also has a voluntary BIS standard on online consumer reviews (IS 19000:2022).

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