Local Guide user leaving fake negative reviews and extorting our company to remove

I have a Solar company based in Denver and services the entire state of Colorado. We have worked hard to get a 4.6-star rating and lately have been the center of negative review removal extortion schemes.

There are several Local Guide accounts that are leaving fake 1-star reviews stating senseless, baseless facts about no one or nothing in particular. They will leave five to six a day without referencing any project, interaction, or individual that works at our company. What is worse is that they are demanding payment to remove these fake reviews as well. I start everyday flagging these reviews as inappropriate and Google Business will usually remove them that day. I’m pretty sure that Google should have rules against extortion, seeing that there are numerous criminal statutes that forbid it. In addition, I have emails from one of the parties that says they will continue to do it until I pay for them to stop. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated because I can’t get anyone from Google Business to reply to my issue.

1 Like

@Billy74 , I am sorry about your experience.

Google have rules about fake reviews. You should contact the Google Business Profile Help Community for addressing you in such matter.

But first of all, when you are victim of a fraud, or an extortion, or everything against the law, you should talk to law enforcement in your country. This is the only way to stop that kind of actions, reaching the source of the extortion: the people behind the accounts

1 Like

Hi @Billy74

I feel very sorry that fellow maps users behave so badly.

I just wanted to ask if you are aware of You can now report entire profiles for abuse on Google Maps.

The scammers proabably have a det up where they have plenty of new accounts to use so it will not be very effective in stopping them. But I think it is better than only flagging the individual reviews and ratings.

Best of luck

Morten

1 Like

Thanks for the insight Morten! I will take your advice and also flag it on Google Maps.