Fake Trust Signals
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 …
$ aoe install @community/anti-pattern-fake-trust-signalsProjection
Always in _index.xml · the agent never has to ask for this.
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.
Loaded when retrieval picks the atom as adjacent / supporting.
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
Meta
- License: Apache-2.0
- License Provenance: package-authorship-claim
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
Loaded when retrieval picks the atom as a focal / direct hit.
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
Meta
- License: Apache-2.0
- License Provenance: package-authorship-claim
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
Relations
related: [@community/pattern-trust-badge-row, @community/pattern-trust-logo-strip, @community/pattern-trust-social-proof-numbers, @community/pattern-trust-testimonial-micro, @community/pattern-trust-security-cert, @community/rule-trust-signal-placement, @community/rule-trust-signal-critical]
Label
Fake or Abused Trust Signals
Meta
- License: Apache-2.0
- License Provenance: package-authorship-claim
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
Source
aoe-engine/examples/frontend-design/primes/compiled/@community/anti-pattern-fake-trust-signals/atom.yaml