🚨 How to Avoid Fake Discounts & Fake Reviews (The Honest 2025 Guide)
Online shopping has made life super easy, but it has also opened the door for fake discounts, shady sellers, and completely made-up product reviews. Most people think they’re getting a massive deal, but in reality, they’re paying more than the real price — all because of clever tricks used by online sellers.
If you want to protect your money and avoid wasting cash on bad products, here’s a straight, real-world guide that anyone can follow.
1. 📉 The “Fake MRP Trick” — The Oldest Scam Online
Almost every shopping app inflates the MRP so they can show a huge discount.
How to avoid it:
- Use price history tools (Keepa for Amazon, Flipkart price tracker extensions).
- Compare prices across 2–3 platforms.
- Check the product price one week later — a real price never changes much.
If the same product is “50% off” every day, it’s not a discount — it’s a marketing trick.
2. ⏱️ Beware of Flash Sales That Always Exist
You’ll see banners like: 🟢 “Limited Time Offer!” 🟢 “Deal ends in 01:59:59” 🟢 “Hurry! Only 2 left in stock!”
These timers often reset every time you refresh the page.
How to avoid it:
- Don’t fall for urgency timers.
- Don’t buy instantly — wait 24 hours.
- Check if the same offer appears the next day.
If the offer repeats daily, it’s not a real sale.
3. ⭐ Fake Reviews Are Everywhere — Here’s How to Spot Them
Reviews are the biggest trap. Sellers buy reviews or exchange freebies for 5-stars.
| Signs of Fake Reviews | Signs of Real Reviews |
|---|---|
| ⚠ Repeated phrases (word-to-word similar) | ✔ “Verified Purchase” tag |
| ⚠ Too many 5-star reviews with zero detail | ✔ Reviews with actual photos |
| ⚠ Reviews posted on the same day by new users | ✔ Read 1-star and 2-star reviews (these tell the truth) |
Most fake products are exposed in low-star reviews — always read them.
4. 🎁 The Freebie Trap — “Rate 5 Stars & Get a Gift”
Many sellers add cards inside the product box saying: “Scan this QR code → Get ₹200 cashback for a 5-star review.”
Why it’s dangerous: You end up trusting fake ratings, other buyers get fooled, and the product might be low quality but looks “high rated.”
Never trust products where reviews mention free gifts.
5. 🧑💻 Check Seller Name — Not Just Product Ratings
A high rating on the product doesn’t mean the seller is genuine. You just need to stay aware.
- Check price history.
- Compare across sites.
- Read real reviews.
- Avoid shady sellers.
- Never trust “too good to be true” offers.
- Use trusted coupon sites like **coupencode.shop**.
Online shopping is amazing — when you shop smart. And once you start spotting these tricks, you’ll never get fooled again.
