Want to know if you can trust Trustpilot reviews and ratings you see on a business’s website? Learn how to spot and report fake TrustBox widgets and how to recognize the real deal.

At Trustpilot, we're proud of our recognizable star logo and designs. We allow businesses to showcase their reviews, ratings and TrustScore on their websites with what we call TrustBox widgets. They provide an easy way to see how a business is rated on Trustpilot, which helps consumers make more informed purchasing decisions. Here's an example:

Check out our TrustBox widget overview to see all TrustBoxes available for businesses.

Unfortunately, some businesses create fake TrustBox widgets in an attempt to mislead consumers about their Trustpilot reviews. While we take action to stop this, here’s our tips on how you can spot and report fake TrustBox widgets.

How do I spot a fake TrustBox widget?

Keep an eye out for these signs when you see a Trustpilot rating on a business’s website:

1. Look for Trustpilot's up-to-date logo and star design.

We only use our current logo and star design in our TrustBox widgets. If you see a business using the old version of our logo, it’s probably a fake and definitely an out-of-date widget.

Up-to-date logo vs. old logo:

2. See if the TrustBox widget displays reviews from other websites.

Our TrustBox widgets only show reviews from Trustpilot, never from other sources like TripAdvisor, Google, or Facebook. If you come across a TrustBox that shows reviews from multiple sources, it’s definitely not a genuine Trustpilot widget.

TrustBox widget showing Trustpilot reviews vs. widget showing reviews from multiple sources:

Keep in mind that these widgets could be showing fake reviews from other platforms or displaying only their five-star reviews without a disclaimer.

3. Find out where the TrustBox widget redirects you.

When you click on our TrustBox widget, it will only take you to Trustpilot to read reviews. Meanwhile, fake widget providers often link to their own websites and add their business name next to the widget.

4. Check if the business has a Trustpilot profile page.

If you can’t find a business on Trustpilot, it means that they don’t have a Trustpilot profile page and they shouldn’t be displaying any Trustpilot content, including our logo, star rating, TrustScore, and reviews.

If a business has a Consumer Warning on their Trustpilot profile page, they're not allowed to use our TrustBox widgets. If you find a business with a Consumer Warning but they're still showing Trustpilot ratings on their website, chances are they're using a fake TrustBox widget.

5. See if the TrustScore in the TrustBox widget matches the TrustScore on the business's Trustpilot profile.

Our TrustBox widgets automatically update with every new review and rating a business receives. That means that our genuine TrustBox widgets will always display the latest TrustScore. If the rating on the widget doesn't match the TrustScore on the business’s Trustpilot profile, the widget might be fake.

How can I report a fake TrustBox widget?

If you suspect that a business is using a fake TrustBox widget to mislead consumers, you can notify our Content Integrity Team by using our whistleblower function and submitting the form here. Your report will be confidential and you’ll help keep Trustpilot trustworthy.

What happens next?

Our Content Integrity Team will investigate your report and take appropriate steps to address any problems. While we may not always be able to provide updates on our investigations due to privacy rules, please know that your report is invaluable in helping us maintain the integrity of our platform.

At Trustpilot, we take strong actions against fake widget providers (businesses that create fake TrustBoxes) and businesses that use them. In fact, we successfully sued a well-known fake widget provider in the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court in London in 2022, and secured a ruling preventing them from offering their fake widgets in the UK. We're committed to preventing anyone from offering fake Trustpilot content, both in the UK and around the world.

Learn more about the steps we take to protect our platform in our Action We Take policy.