FakeTrustSignals [anti-pattern] v1.0.0

Using fabricated social proof numbers, stock photo testimonial avatars, badges on every section, logos without permission, linked compliance cert badges, or vague guarantee copy — all patterns that neutralize or reverse the trust effect they were meant to create.

Label

Fake or Abused Trust Signals

Why Bad

• Fabricated social proof numbers: destroys trust on verification; legal liability under consumer protection law
• Stock photo testimonial avatars: immediately recognizable as fake — users have seen the same faces on other sites
• Trust badges on every section: signal fatigue — badges lose meaning when repeated; communicates desperation not credibility
• Logo strip without permission: brand compliance risk; unauthorized use of partner/customer logos can result in takedown demands
• Linking compliance cert badges: breaks visual scannability; cert badges are decorative verification marks, not navigation
• '100% satisfaction guaranteed' without terms: vague promise increases skepticism rather than reducing it

Instead Do

• Only use auditable, real metrics — append '+' to indicate minimum floor
• Use real photos or illustrated anonymous avatars with a transparent label
• Map each trust component to one section that answers its specific objection (see rule-trust-signal-placement)
• Confirm partner/customer written consent before displaying their logo
• Add a nearby text link if cert verification is needed — leave the badge image unlinked
• Be specific: '30-day full refund, no questions asked' instead of vague guarantees

FakeTrustSignals [anti-pattern] v1.0.0

Using fabricated social proof numbers, stock photo testimonial avatars, badges on every section, logos without permission, linked compliance cert badges, or vague guarantee copy — all patterns that neutralize or reverse the trust effect they were meant to create.

Label

Fake or Abused Trust Signals

Why Bad

• Fabricated social proof numbers: destroys trust on verification; legal liability under consumer protection law
• Stock photo testimonial avatars: immediately recognizable as fake — users have seen the same faces on other sites
• Trust badges on every section: signal fatigue — badges lose meaning when repeated; communicates desperation not credibility
• Logo strip without permission: brand compliance risk; unauthorized use of partner/customer logos can result in takedown demands
• Linking compliance cert badges: breaks visual scannability; cert badges are decorative verification marks, not navigation
• '100% satisfaction guaranteed' without terms: vague promise increases skepticism rather than reducing it

Instead Do

• Only use auditable, real metrics — append '+' to indicate minimum floor
• Use real photos or illustrated anonymous avatars with a transparent label
• Map each trust component to one section that answers its specific objection (see rule-trust-signal-placement)
• Confirm partner/customer written consent before displaying their logo
• Add a nearby text link if cert verification is needed — leave the badge image unlinked
• Be specific: '30-day full refund, no questions asked' instead of vague guarantees

Label

Fake or Abused Trust Signals

Why Bad

• Fabricated social proof numbers: destroys trust on verification; legal liability under consumer protection law
• Stock photo testimonial avatars: immediately recognizable as fake — users have seen the same faces on other sites
• Trust badges on every section: signal fatigue — badges lose meaning when repeated; communicates desperation not credibility
• Logo strip without permission: brand compliance risk; unauthorized use of partner/customer logos can result in takedown demands
• Linking compliance cert badges: breaks visual scannability; cert badges are decorative verification marks, not navigation
• '100% satisfaction guaranteed' without terms: vague promise increases skepticism rather than reducing it

Instead Do

• Only use auditable, real metrics — append '+' to indicate minimum floor
• Use real photos or illustrated anonymous avatars with a transparent label
• Map each trust component to one section that answers its specific objection (see rule-trust-signal-placement)
• Confirm partner/customer written consent before displaying their logo
• Add a nearby text link if cert verification is needed — leave the badge image unlinked
• Be specific: '30-day full refund, no questions asked' instead of vague guarantees