Online review site Yelp is partnering with local merchants, including businesses in Chicago, to offer discounts when customers “check in” using their mobile phones.

Yelp introduced its Check-ins feature in January, encouraging its members to broadcast their locations when they visited a local business.

Location-based services have become increasingly popular in the last year, with platforms such as Foursquare and Gowalla attracting mobile phone users who accumulate check-ins so they can be known as regulars and receive discounts at their favorite spots.

Since January, Yelp has been improving its technology to make sure its members can’t cheat the check-in feature. Cutting down on fraud is even more important now that businesses are offering discounts in conjunction with the check-ins, Yelp said.

In Chicago, examples of Yelp Check-in offers include a free item with purchase after five check-ins at Bobtail Ice Cream Co. and a 20 percent discount off a massage after three check-ins at Lincoln Park Massage.

The updated Yelp mobile application is available on the Android platform and is awaiting approval from Apple for the iPhone.