Fake google reviews

Fake google reviews

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Discussion

C722

Original Poster:

636 posts

163 months

Friday 17th November 2023
quotequote all
Overnight we have had several fake reviews appear on our google listing. I guess a competitor is paying someone to post/generate them.

How do I get them removed?

A shame as we have worked hard to get good feedback over the years, and overnight someone leaves 4 fake 1 star reviews.

CardinalBlue

1,048 posts

84 months

Friday 17th November 2023
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Ham_and_Jam

2,567 posts

104 months

Friday 17th November 2023
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As already commented, report using Google.

Don’t expect miracles. In my experience, most don’t get removed unless it’s clearly defamatory or contains expletive language or images.

Simple 1* reviews like ‘it’s rubbish’ will not be removed.

Are they all new Google users / profiles?

C722

Original Poster:

636 posts

163 months

Friday 17th November 2023
quotequote all
Yes all new with 1 review

C722

Original Poster:

636 posts

163 months

Friday 17th November 2023
quotequote all
Same thing has happened to 2 local competitors too, so I guess someone is paying some agency to do it.

uber

857 posts

177 months

Friday 17th November 2023
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If the reviews were done from a single I.P from someone with access to a few accounts they will normally remove most of them. If it's a more complex setup using local I.Ps and tools to fake device types, sessions etc its a little more difficult.

m3jappa

6,583 posts

225 months

Friday 17th November 2023
quotequote all
They probably wont remove them.

I have had a scathing review left by someone who has had work done by a company with a similar name. I don't even do the type of work thats been carried out.

I replied explaining it isn't me, i left her my phone number and relevant details and she hasn't responded.

I reported to google who have said its not against their conditions or words to that effect. wkers.

I suppose all you can do is POLITELY reply explaining its fake/false and why it is.

Berger 3rd

386 posts

186 months

Friday 17th November 2023
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I had similar with Trustpilot, had a review from someone who has never used us or spoken to us, said what we’re doing was illegal and used various other defamatory words.

I argued back and forth with them but they simply were not interested in doing anything about it, I explained to suggest we are doing something illegal is highly libellous, but they just didn’t care. Very frustrating.

C722

Original Poster:

636 posts

163 months

Friday 17th November 2023
quotequote all
Ridiculous isn't it, obviously fake reviews - poor wording, new profiles, only 1 review and all generic profiles pictures of people from Asia. Hopefully they will look into it, but it doesn’t sound promising!

22

2,398 posts

144 months

Friday 17th November 2023
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I have never known a review get removed by flagging it to Google.

We had an obviously fake review (of some considerable age before I started) removed by speaking to a person at google about setting up an advertising campaign with a reasonable budget. We never got round to starting the advertising hehe, but the review disappeared. Some companies offering similar only have 'fake' good reviews or reviews left by the owner's name.

We've got a good review from someone we never worked for (company name is not very original). One day when we had an apparent genuine bad review left about staff driving, I left a calm and considered response and the person removed it themselves later.

Ham_and_Jam

2,567 posts

104 months

Saturday 18th November 2023
quotequote all
22 said:
I have never known a review get removed by flagging it to Google.
Let me be the first smile

I had one removed a couple of months ago.

Must admit I was very surprised as Ive tried unsuccessfully before when they’ve been obviously fake.

This review was accompanied by a very strange picture of a mans scary looking face. Not quite sure if that made the difference, but it was removed within 8 hours of reporting.

JimmyConwayNW

3,127 posts

132 months

Saturday 18th November 2023
quotequote all
Just reply outlining the suspicious nature that several people you have never heard of have all left poor reviews on the same time.

Flag and maybe one or two will get deleted but at least anyone reading sees that you reply to feedback, offer solutions and put your name and number / email to a problem. For me that would count more.


A 1 star review hurts in business ( arguably a 2 or 3 seems to cut me more biggrin ) but a good reply and a bit of a kick up the backside to chase some more good ones doesn't do any long term harm as frustrating as it is.


Also had a load of bad trustpilot ones for a similar named business in Nottingham ( we are Cheshire) and its no wonder the people who can't leave reviews for the correct place end up buying goods from places with awful services. Just try to wash them out with good feedback.

Ham_and_Jam

2,567 posts

104 months

Saturday 18th November 2023
quotequote all
JimmyConwayNW said:
Just reply outlining the suspicious nature that several people you have never heard of have all left poor reviews on the same time.
You don’t get that luxury anymore. It’s just a tick box of the reason why you want to report the review.

Can’t remember all of the boxes but they are along the lines of - 1. offensive 2. Breaches Googles rules 3. Not my business etc…

NickZ24

264 posts

74 months

Saturday 18th November 2023
quotequote all
I'd stay away from using reviews.
As it's more widely known now, you can buy those reviews.

Users are not stupid. At least not all.

Ham_and_Jam

2,567 posts

104 months

Saturday 18th November 2023
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NickZ24 said:
I'd stay away from using reviews.
As it's more widely known now, you can buy those reviews.

Users are not stupid. At least not all.
As a business you can’t stay away from Google reviews. Unless you don’t want to be on Google.

clockworks

6,138 posts

152 months

Tuesday 21st November 2023
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It's a shame that a business can't just opt out of Google reviews.

I haven't paid for advertising for years, have no signage to catch passing trade, and don't have a website. My free Google Business listing is my only online presence. It seems to work well, accounting for about a third of new customers - word of mouth and trade referrals does the rest.
I have more potential work than I can reasonably cope with, so I'm turning some away.

My Google reviews are all good, but the fear of getting a fake bad one is real.
Strangely, I do have a couple of fake reviews, but they are good ones. Why would anyone leave a good review for a business that have never used?

DSLiverpool

15,135 posts

209 months

Tuesday 21st November 2023
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It’s a crap scenario, the pro negative agency’s kniw to only leave a few from separate IP addresses as if they leave a lot the Google Bot will remove.

It’s just not good enough that a online facility can wrongly ruin your business

C722

Original Poster:

636 posts

163 months

Thursday 23rd November 2023
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[quote]

It’s just not good enough that a online facility can wrongly ruin your business
[/quote]

Travesty isn't it!

We had 5 fake ones, 3 have been removed so far which is good.

spikeyhead

17,979 posts

204 months

Thursday 23rd November 2023
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clockworks said:
... Why would anyone leave a good review for a business that have never used?
So they bad ones that they leave look more real

jayxx83

515 posts

203 months

Thursday 23rd November 2023
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In reality if you have hundreds of 5* and the odd 1* any normal rational person should know that it’s fake or an anomaly. They then use their own skills to suss out the situation on their own personal transaction as they progress.

For me personally I couldn’t care less about Google or trust pilot in these days of bots and purchased reviews.