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The Bizarre Rise of Bug Zappers on Amazon: Fake Reviews and Questionable Products

In recent years, Amazon has seen a peculiar surge in the number of listings for bug zappers, accompanied by an increase in negative or unreliable reviews for these products, according to data from Fakespot, a Mozilla-owned service that helps consumers identify fake reviews and scams on shopping sites.

The Perfect Storm for Fraudulent Sellers

Saoud Khalifah, founder and director of Fakespot at Mozilla, attributes this phenomenon to a combination of factors:

• A growing number of listings from third-party sellers on Amazon.com
• More merchants seeking to sell low-cost products with high margins
• Generative AI tools making it easier for sellers to produce questionable marketing copy and reviews

“Right now everyone has a different kind of determination of what ‘fake’ means. … But when you look at this particular category, bug zappers, this is game-over territory. It’s one of the favorite products of fraudulent seller farms.”

Not Necessarily Scams, But Questionable Quality

While the bug zapper listings examined by Fakespot aren’t necessarily outright scams—buyers still receive an actual bug zapper—negative reviews suggest that some products don’t work as advertised. Common complaints include:

• Bug zappers that are simply glow lights without any real insect-killing capabilities
• Errant reviews for different products placed among reviews for bug zappers

Amazon’s Response and Brand Protection Efforts

Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti stated that shopping at Amazon is “safe, authentic, and trustworthy,” and that the company has robust policies and guidelines in place. Amazon’s recently released Brand Protection Report highlights its investments in brand protection and efforts to combat counterfeits, fraud, and abuse.

The company acknowledges the challenges posed by the growing number of products in its store but emphasizes its use of advanced technologies like image recognition and forgery detection to identify inauthentic or counterfeit goods. Amazon also collaborates with cross-border law enforcement agencies to seize counterfeit products.

Fakespot’s Role in Identifying Unreliable Reviews

Fakespot uses machine learning to analyze product details and reviews on ecommerce sites, assigning a “reliability grade” based on the signals it detects. While the tool has faced criticism for potential ambiguity in its methods and the risk of unfairly labeling legitimate sellers, it remains a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make informed purchasing decisions.

The rise of bug zappers with questionable reviews on Amazon highlights the ongoing challenges faced by ecommerce platforms in combating fraudulent sellers and fake reviews. As the number of products and sellers continues to grow, it is crucial for companies like Amazon to invest in robust brand protection measures and for consumers to remain vigilant when shopping online.