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How to spot fake reviews on Amazon and other sites online

With the holidays around the corner, I’m gearing up for a whole lot of online shopping between now and Christmas. And while I’m glad the FTC is finally cracking down on fake and paid reviews, let’s be real — it’s not going to catch every bogus review out there.

So, here’s my go-to guide for spotting fake reviews and finding the real deal before you hit “Buy Now.”

Step 1: Use a site that does it for you

Fakespot vets reviews on Amazon, Walmart, eBay and lots of other sites and shows you how they score. I love that it gives you a letter rating. Anything graded C or below screams “Walk away!” to me. The best part? Fakespot’s free.

There’s another site like Fakespot called ReviewMeta. Instead of a letter grade, ReviewMeta shows an adjusted rating for the product, removing what it considers to be fake reviews.

You can use it for free by simply pasting the Amazon URL into ReviewMeta’s website or installing their browser extension.

(Btw, I love those Souper Cubes! They make a great gift, too.)

Step 2: Use your noggin

Fakespot and ReviewMeta aren’t foolproof. The AI they use is getting smarter, but so is the AI churning out sham reviews. Here are some tricks to try:

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We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid

I’ve heard it all on my national radio show. There was the guy totally freaked out because too many strangers in public knew his name for it to be a coincidence. (His name was Buddy.)

There was a woman who swore one of Metallica’s band members hacked her iPhone to stalk her after she rejected him online. And another who bought and sold three cars because she thought they all had hidden trackers.

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The perfect pair

🥜 Better than peanut butter and jelly … almost.

An air fryer and fancy French fry seasoning. Now all you need is a bag of frozen fries.
A pizza-cutting blade (27% off) and grease-absorbing sheets for your next game-day slice.
Viral Korean cleansing foam followed by a snail mucin moisturizer (26% off). You’ll practically glow.
Reusable overnight oats containers and cute collapsible bento boxes. No more ordering expensive breakfast and lunch.
A time-marked water bottle and a 90-day personal planner so you don’t lose complete control over your life before the holidays.
A silicone microwave mat (50% off!) and an Angry Mama microwave cleaner, because scrubbing a dirty microwave stinks.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Cozy season is upon us

🍁 These are great to gift yourself … or, you know, someone on your gift list.

Put up stained glass window film (18% off) and never worry about your neighbors judging you for watching nine hours of “Judge Judy.”
Add pizazz to your football-watching with a TV backlight (under $30). Woo, get $10 off if you click the coupon box!
Too cold to get out of bed? You need a lap desk.
Missed the northern lights? This cube (17% off, under $20) projects them onto your ceiling for some funky cosmic ambiance.
With a cute candle warmer, your favorites last longer than if you burn them all day. Don’t miss the 15% off coupon.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🛒 Little-known shipping secret: Did you know if you turn an Amazon shipping bag inside out, there’s a strip you can pull to reseal it for returns? Now stop being lazy and send back that itchy sweater.

Before you buy: If you’re in the market for a baby lounger, sleep positioner, wedge, inclined sleeper, weighted sleep sacks or crib bumpers, just know not everything sold online is safe. Third-party retailers on Amazon and other sites often don’t comply with recalls. Always search online for the exact name of a baby or kid product with the word “recall.”

Up to 15% tax refund

When you buy something while on vacation in Italy. By the way, this article says 22%, but that’s not quite right. Still, what a deal. I’d look for a designer handbag; they’re way cheaper there compared to stores here in the U.S. I always have Trevi saying goodbye to Rome.

This, not that

🤩 Upgrades and swaps you won’t regret.

This 2-in-1 olive oil sprayer (20% off, under $10) saves you money and cleanup time and won’t gum up your pans like Pam.
These reading glasses look stylish while you stare at the daily crossword for two hours. Way better than the generic ones from the drugstore.
Ditch harsh ceiling lights and bask in the glow of a sunset lamp for under $20. Right now, it’s 33% off and you’ll get another 5% off if you click the coupon box.
Stop hovering over the stove, waiting for the water to boil. Use this fast-heating electric kettle (14% off) instead.
The Clean Ball (20% off) rolls around inside your purse or bag to catch all the nasty stuff, like the granola bar crumbs you keep ignoring.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

This art is for sale on Amazon. Can you find the hidden tiger?

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

A trick from the Komando brain

🧑‍🎄 I get stocking-stuffer shopping done early so I can focus on the bigger gifts later. (I won’t tell anyone if you get one of these for yourself!)

Guys, give your gal a jewelry cleaning stick to shine up her rings. It’s small enough to carry around and it’s under $10.
For the caffeine lover in your life, grab a five-pack of dark chocolate-flavored coffee bites for about $9. Each packs as much caffeine as one-third of a cup of coffee.
No-show socks are out; these $10 flat no-show inserts are in. They slip into any shoe and are machine washable.
This Grandmother’s Journal (39% off) is such a sweet gift. It’s a way to get her to write about her life so the whole family can remember her stories for years to come.
A cute scarf as low as $6 (57% off)? Yes, please. It’s extra long, so it can pull double-duty as a blanket.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

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Top 10 bestselling vintage band T-shirts — spreadshirt.com

Have any of these band T-shirts sitting around? Cha-ching!

What if I …

Always make a mess draining pasta? Get this strainer that attaches to any pot.
Have dry, crusty winter hands already? Slap on skin repair gloves (30% off, around $3). Wearing them for 10 minutes gets the job done, but overnight is better.
Leave my jewelry in a tangled pile? Fix that with a nice travel-sized box (12% off) for guys and gals.
Don’t want patio season to end? Light a tabletop fire pit for under $28. Click the coupon box for 10% off.
Have Starbucks cups rolling around in the backseat? This hanging car trash can (16% off, around $6) comes in 15 different colors.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

📺 This is wild: A funny Reddit post shows a Costco customer trying to return a TV they bought back in 2002. The thing is it might be within the guidelines. Costco didn’t add a 90-day limit to its electronics return policy until 2007. Before that, you could return indefinitely. Did it work? Yup!

🧘 It’s National Stress Awareness Day

A walk outside (with my funny podcast!) goes a long way. Need more? All these finds are under $20.

Clip a page-turner onto your Kindle so you can stay comfy in bed while you get through that cozy mystery.
Put a USB-powered travel diffuser in your car, breathe in the essential oils, and don’t flip off that truck that just cut you off.
Spray this aromatherapy mist on your pillow before bedtime for max relaxation mode. Bonus: Spritz the whole house and make everyone else relax, too.
Give your room a warm glow with a dimmable Himalayan salt lamp (10% off). There’s a reason these things are always in yoga studios.
These aromatherapy steamers make showers even more relaxing. As they dissolve, they release the smell of eucalyptus and menthol.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

📦 Coming in hot: Amazon just got the FAA greenlight to fly new, smaller delivery drones that cross into pilots’ line of sight. First stop: Tolleson, a city west of Phoenix (not near me … yet). Fingers crossed this MK30 model is quieter than the others. Locals, no skeet shooting for prizes!

Another example of AI doing the work of humans: Big retailers are using AI combined with real-time weather data to time ads and discounts. Take Walmart: This year, they dropped sunscreen prices a couple of weeks early after the AI algorithm noticed rain was all over the country. Normally, inventory analysts would do this work.

A scam in time for the holidays: “Card declined” messages are all over scammy retail sites. It’s a trick to get you to pay twice so they can steal twice the card details. Before you check out, make sure the URL starts with “https” (don’t skip the -s).

I see your frayed cords …

♠️♦️ … And I raise you a nice charging station for all your tech.

Charge seven devices at a time. This dock has three USB-A-to-Lightning ports (for older iPhones), two USB-A-to-USB-C cables (most modern tech) and two USB-A-to-micro-USB cables (Kindle) so you can charge anything. Click the coupon for $10 off!
Just need USB-C ports? Cool. This fast charger packs six of them and can charge a phone to 50% in 30 minutes.
Fancy-pants Apple 3-in-1 for your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.
Here’s a more affordable version that’ll get the job done, too. Don’t forget to click the extra 20% off coupon.
This affordable little charging hub is great for use at home, or pack it next time you travel.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

🤫 Secret Amazon deals page

Amazon Outlet is packed with overstock items at great prices. It’s worth browsing now and then to see if something you need is on sale!

I like putting shampoo, conditioner and body wash in clear containers (50% off a 5-pack). Looks clean and everything matches.
Reusable cable ties are the best. This pack is under $14. You can clean up your cords. I believe in you!
The lowest price I’ve seen on the TubShroom hair catcher: 27% off!
Crew socks are back in style. Try ‘em out on the cheap: 3 pairs for 50% off.
Dang, 65 feet of LED lights for under $10. Click the coupon for an extra 10% off.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Yuck! But … cool

🤢 There’s a certain kind of gross that’s also very satisfying.

Grab a ball of Blu-Tack and press it into your earbud speakers. Pull it away, and all the junk inside comes out with it. Gross, I know.
Color-catcher sheets grab all the dye in the washing machine so your lights stay light. They look pretty gross when you pull ‘em out, FYI.
Pimples are a fact of life. These patches work.
I know your keyboard is gross — mine is, too. Grab a ball of this goop to pick up the crumbs.
This brush is a must if your dog is a shedder. You’ll be shocked by the size of the hairball.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.