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ARTICLE · 16 AUGUST 2015

Dodgy move: company fined $30,600 for posting false testimonials

Holding Redlich
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The ACCC has issued infringement notices in relation to three online testimonials allegedly created by Citymove.

AustraliaConsumer Protection
Dan Pearce
Dan Pearce
Emily Booth
Emily Booth
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The ACCC has issued recently infringement notices in relation to three online testimonials alleged to have been created by removal company Citymove and posted on Google+ and YouTube using fabricated customer identities.

When the same testimonial appeared on different review websites under different customer identities it was a pretty good tip off for the ACCC. The regulator alleged that the customer identities had been fabricated.

It was not the first time Citymove has come under fire from the ACCC. In 2011 the regulator took action against the business and issued an infringement notice over reviews on the website www.movingreview.com.au. The first clue that these reviews were not genuinely independent should have come from the fact the website was developed and run by Citymove itself! The ACCC alleged that the purportedly independent reviews on this website were not posted by genuine consumers and were potentially misleading.

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