I’ve been referred here by the GMB community experts. We have been seeing a large number of guides doing ‘reviews’ that have nothing to do with actually reviewing; they are just clicking every business they see on Google maps and leaving a random star rating to boost their own stats. The latest was a 2 star ‘review’ from a guide who did over 100 such reviews in under an hour- all in a clump on Google Maps. We are an industry specific wholesaler who does not sell to the public, and the woman who did this ‘review’ is pretty obviously not in our industry. This seems to be the latest way to cheat the Google system- just randomly ‘review’ everything in an area to get more reviews. There are a LOT of people doing this!
GMB has requested I not include any links, so I won’t, but they are available upon request. This needs to be addressed- it diminishes the work of actual, honest guides and completely discredits the trust in Google reviews that they have worked so hard to establish.
Thanks for reaching us, @Snx_mktg
Please read this post to know how to report a Local Guide: How to identify and report fraud on Google Maps
I am tagging a Google Moderator for you @NadyaPN
Thank you!
I read this part:
Reporting a Local Guide
If you’ve found a Local Guide contributing content or behaving in a way that seems to violate our policies or Local Guides program rules, let us know here on Connect—but be sure not to share that person’s information publicly. Create a post about the issue and tag a Google Moderator. The team will reach out to you via private message with instructions on how to proceed further.
But didn’t see any instructions for actually tagging a Mod- I see now I should have just clicked that link and read the dang instructions! Mea culpa and thank you again
Hello @Snx_mktg ,
Seems like @ErmesT had provided a great information regarding this matter.
Did you find any Local Guide that you would like to report? If you do, then I will send a further instruction to assist you.
I would, thank you.
Even more, I would like Google to address the actual problem instead of making so much work in just treating the symptoms. Will I have to create a new post every time this happens? Because it happens a lot…
Hello @Snx_mktg ,
Our team are always working to make Google Maps overall a better place for everyone, but with the help of the Local Guides with their contributions from across the world is helping us even more to achieve it.
Feel free to keep it in one thread, to prevent duplicate posts and tag one of the Google Moderator who will provide you with further instruction.
Keep in mind that, it doesn’t meant that you are not oblige to keep an eye on this matter all the time, but if you ever come across Local Guide that you think is violating our policies or Local Guides program rules, let us know here on Connect.
Thank you- I will bookmark this page and just add them all here.
Do I need to tag another Mod on THIS one, or will you send me the instructions?
Hello @Snx_mktg ,
I will reach out to you via private message now, for further instruction.
@AngieYC we have another one- should I use the email you sent, or do you need to open a new ticket?
Hello @Snx_mktg ,
You can just follow the same instruction I sent you before, for now and in the future if you found a Local Guide that you want to report.