We’ve all done it…we really want to try out a new restaurant, but we check out the online reviews first, where the commentary is less than favorable, so instead of checking it out for ourselves, we go elsewhere. But how valid were those comments in the first place?

Unfortunately, anyone can leave a review online. You don’t have to actually be at the place or prove that you were ever there. I could go leave a comment for a doctor in Alaska right now if I wanted to, even though I’ve never been to Alaska.

So who has the time to waste to leave fake reviews? Let’s examine.

1) The Miserable Person

The person who is stuck living in their mom’s basement and wants the whole world to be miserable with them. These people are referred to in the online world as “trolls.” They offer nothing to society but annoyances. They don’t seek out one particular business to go after; they are online all day leaving all kinds of fake comments on businesses and news articles. Their only mission is to get a rise out of people.

2) The Cheapskate

You can find these people leaving negative comments about the price of things, though no one forced them to buy it in the first place. Even though it was their choice to pay for a product or service, they feel uneasy about the money they have spent and in turn, take it out on the person online. Many times they will just leave negative feedback without saying what the problem was, which is helpful to no one.

3) The Jealous Competitor

These are the worst offenders of all. These business owners have their employees leave negative comments on every site they can think of for their biggest competitors, hoping that it will deter people from choosing that business and end up instead going to theirs. Instead of relying on their own good work, they are so insecure about getting enough business on their own that they bash the competition as a means of getting business.

Your first reaction may be to feel sorry for people who have nothing better to do with their time than to leave fake reviews. Do not pity them, because their actions are not harmless. People who leave fake comments are hurting small businesses everywhere, and the businesses are left with no way to refute the untrue claims.

The best way to find out what the story really is is to talk to someone you know who has actually used the service or product. Another surefire way to find out- go in and take a look for yourself. You don’t want to miss out on the best.