Dosh dilemma: Five-star review sparks five-star fury for Ben

Ben wanted to buy his girlfriend a pair of curling tongs for her birthday. He knew nothing about curling tongs, so, like many of us, relied on online reviews.

One pair stood out. They were cheaper than most and had hundreds of glowing five-star reviews. Convinced, Ben ordered them.

Unfortunately, those reviews turned out to be fake.

When his girlfriend tried the curling tongs, they barely heated up. Worse still, smoke started coming from the plug. Furious, Ben contacted the retailer to ask for a refund, but, unsurprisingly, got nowhere.

So what are Ben’s rights?

Ben, you do have rights. 

When you buy goods from a business, whether online or in-store, the law says they must be:

• of satisfactory quality – not faulty or damaged
• fit for purpose – do what they’re meant to do
• as described

If goods don’t meet these standards, the seller is responsible, not the manufacturer.

How long do you have to return faulty goods?

• Within 30 days: you have the right to reject the item and get a full refund.
• Within six months: you can ask the retailer to repair or replace the item.
• Up to six years: you can still take action, but after the first six months you must prove the fault was present when you received the goods.
• You can also use a guarantee or warranty if the product develops a fault.

What to do next

• contact the seller
• clearly explain the fault and what remedy you want, a refund, repair, or replacement
• mention the Consumer Rights Act 2015
• keep all evidence, including receipts, emails, and photos or videos of the fault

If the seller still refuses:

• ask for their complaints procedure
• contact the Citizens Advice
• you may be able to use chargeback or Section 75 protection, for credit card purchases over £100

Beware of five-star reviews

National Trading Standards (NTS) has warned that criminals are using paid reviewers, bots, and increasingly AI to create fake reviews 'on a mass scale'. Some even build entire fake review websites, often linked to popular products like air fryers and vacuum cleaners.

How to protect yourself

Consumer group Which? advises ignoring the five-star reviews. Instead:

• read the four, three and two-star reviews, which are often more balanced
• be cautious when buying from brands you don’t recognise
• look for verified purchases, where the retailer confirms the item was bought through its site
• stick to trusted review platforms