Co-founder, CiteAbility™
Chris Emmins
Chris Emmins is a co-founder of CiteAbility™ and the founder and CEO of KwikChex, a UK online investigation firm. He has spent more than 15 years investigating fake reviews, misleading claims and online fraud.
Profile maintained by CiteAbility™ · Last updated
Experience
Background
Chris founded KwikChex in 2010. The firm investigates whether what businesses and platforms say online can be relied on: reviews, ratings, endorsements and the claims built on them. It is known for its consumer-protection work, including the Timeshare Task Force, which it set up and runs.
His evidence has been used by regulators, trading standards teams, law enforcement and journalists, and KwikChex has acted as an expert witness in prosecutions.
Role
At CiteAbility™
At CiteAbility™, Chris applies this experience to the development of Citation Integrity™: assessing whether information is properly sourced, corroborated, transparent and capable of supporting the claims AI systems may rely upon.
The questions are the ones he has put to review platforms for years. Who is behind this information? What supports it? Can it be checked?
Record
Selected investigations and recognition
2012
The Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints from KwikChex and two hotels about TripAdvisor's claims that its reviews were honest and came from real travellers. TripAdvisor was told not to repeat the claims.
2013
Accor suspended an executive after KwikChex identified him as the author of more than a hundred TripAdvisor reviews posted under a false name, praising Accor hotels and criticising competitors.
2015
BBC News reported a KwikChex investigation that found most of the Trustpilot reviews for one loans business were fake, including one that used the name and photograph of a woman who had died.
2018
Chris appeared in a BBC News investigation into takeaways listed on Just Eat with failing hygiene ratings, and called for every listing to show its official Food Standards Agency rating. Just Eat began showing the ratings in 2019.
2019
Wired reported a KwikChex investigation into the Trustpilot reviews of the estate agent Purplebricks.
Source:Wired (opens in a new tab)
2019
KwikChex was named Business Hero in the Chartered Trading Standards Institute Hero Awards for its work on behalf of consumers, particularly around timeshare scams.
2025
The Guardian reported a KwikChex investigation into suspected scam investment firms exploiting Trustpilot's review system.
2025 and 2026
Chris contributed to two BBC Rip Off Britain investigations into timeshare and fractional-ownership sales.
Source:BBC iPlayer: Timeshare Nightmare (UK only) (opens in a new tab)BBC iPlayer: My timeshare is worth less than when I bought it (UK only) (opens in a new tab)
Evidence
Sources
- TripAdvisor authenticity claims misleading and unsubstantiated, ad watchdog rules (opens in a new tab) · Out-Law (Pinsent Masons), 1 February 2012
- Accor suspends exec who posted fake reviews (opens in a new tab) · Travel Weekly, 4 June 2013
- Fake online customer reviews for sale, BBC finds (opens in a new tab) · BBC News, 2015
- Just Eat listings include takeaways given zero ratings for hygiene (opens in a new tab) · BBC News, 2018
- Are Purplebricks' glowing Trustpilot reviews too good to be true? (opens in a new tab) · Wired, 2019
- Business saving consumers potentially millions from fraud earns CTSI Hero Award (opens in a new tab) · Chartered Trading Standards Institute, 26 June 2019
- Scam investment firms exploit Trustpilot review system (opens in a new tab) · The Guardian, 19 October 2025
- Rip Off Britain, series 17, episode 5: Timeshare Nightmare (opens in a new tab) · BBC (available in the UK), 2025
- Rip Off Britain, series 18, episode 15: My timeshare is worth less than when I bought it (opens in a new tab) · BBC (available in the UK), 2026
- KwikChex (opens in a new tab) · Wikipedia
- KwikChex Limited, company number 07376192 (opens in a new tab) · Companies House
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chris Emmins?
Chris Emmins is a co-founder of CiteAbility™ and the founder and CEO of KwikChex. He has spent more than 15 years investigating fake reviews, misleading claims and online fraud.
What is KwikChex?
KwikChex is a UK online investigation firm that Chris founded in 2010. It is a separate company from CiteAbility™.
What does Chris do at CiteAbility™?
He works on the development of Citation Integrity™: how to assess whether information is properly sourced, corroborated and transparent enough to support the claims AI systems may rely upon.