That is good advice BlancheMC, but Google has created a system that has a built in flaw where it rewards "local guides" for fake reviews and has no mechanism other than a flawed complain form that lacks a "fake review" category. For example, in the last 2 moths, we've had 4 fake reviews, 3 of which came from "local guides" who are rewarded by the number of reviews they post. Each of the 3 guides posted 10 or more reviews at the same time randomly selecting ratings. We know for a fact that our reviews were fake because we only take reservations for our business with the vast majority of our visitors attending as tourists, not as locals.
We've contacted Google as per the rules and nothing happened.
I run programming teams. It would not be hard for Google to write some algorithms that search posts and automatically flags then when they are questionable or require more information when an individual signs up to stake a claim as a "local" guide. They need to do more. At this point they are culpable for setting up a flawed system that is causing companies business through no action by the company. What can we do? Remove ourselves from Google?
Anyhow, we should strongly encourage Google to review their program or organize to encourage them more directly.
@LucioV... You make a good point when you say "please remember not to ask your customers to leave a review while they are near or inside, to avoid automatical rejection (same wifi, same mobile cell, etc.)". However, there is a flaw in Google's system. They allow multiple reviews from the same location.
Look at this "Local Guide" who did 15 reviews all at the same time. There is no way they were in 15 separate places... unless they are superhuman. :-]
This guide gave us a fake review. We know it is fake because we take reservations for all our guests and thus record their names. We also have very few local guests since we serve tourists.
We are pushing hard to have this fake review problem brought to the forefront of Google. They are causing businesses to lose money which, quite obviously, is not a good thing.
And, yes, before anyone says it, we have followed all of Google's rules in notifying Google about the fake reviews...
This is very similar to my post and you said it very well. Drive-by reviews are an epidemic on Google Maps. The reviewers must stop being rewarded with points for such nonsense.
Google is rewarding Local Guides and punishing businesses. An unverified, 1-3 star review with no comment (or with worse w/comment) can kill a business and there is no ability for a business owner to have it taken down.
"Flag as inappropriate" makes zero sense. "Flag as Fake" is what is needed. Businesses need action from Google. Perhaps a class-action lawsuit is what it takes to get their attention?
Oh and why is this forum moderated and Google Reviews are not?
I am a small business owner who has been at my current location for over 25 years and have received a fake review regarding my business. Nothing written just a 1 star rating. How do I get this removed? Somehow it doesn't seem quite right that anyone can sign up as a "Local Guide" and post something absolutely false. This can potentially hurt my business. Hopefully someone can let me know how to get this removed and report the Local Guide to Google for appropriate action.
Hey, nobody really answered your question, and that annoys me. Unfortunately common sense is as dead as chivalry lol. I'm also a local business owner and I have the same problem with FB and fake reviews. But on Google I did read all the fine print on this local guide thing. Ok it says that if the person who left a review is inactive for more than "so many" days. Then it will be removed, and they lose the points. Most of these people are answering you, only because they are also getting points, I just found out when I hit reply. Your good reviews always out do the bad. So like one person said having customers go home and review your business if you would like more hints respond with your email and I'll help ya some. I do this for a living lol and own a business so I know a little more about it. .hope it helps
@LucioV... You make a good point when you say "please remember not to ask your customers to leave a review while they are near or inside, to avoid automatical rejection (same wifi, same mobile cell, etc.)". However, there is a flaw in Google's system. They allow multiple reviews from the same location.
Look at this "Local Guide" who did 15 reviews all at the same time. There is no way they were in 15 separate places... unless they are superhuman. :-]
This guide gave us a fake review. We know it is fake because we take reservations for all our guests and thus record their names. We also have very few local guests since we serve tourists.
We are pushing hard to have this fake review problem brought to the forefront of Google. They are causing businesses to lose money which, quite obviously, is not a good thing.
And, yes, before anyone says it, we have followed all of Google's rules in notifying Google about the fake reviews...
All the best!
Hi @CaribbeanCooking I know can sound strange, but there is nothing weird with 15 reviews left at the same time (how do you know it's the same time?) and in the same place.
I often leave detailed review on places I visited, when I have time, maybe when I'm having a coffee in a Bar in Rome, i could leave reviews on a shop in California, and so on. 😉
LucioV Exactly when I’m traveling google keeps track of places I have n
been and asks me to review them but I don’t have time to review them ASAP and definitely not while driving! So a Que builds up and I go through it when I have the time to sort it out sometimes I will do 10-15-20 reviews when I went to visit a friend in Wisconsin it was a 750 mile trip each way and I took the scenic route up so I stopped a lot! It took me several hours to submit all the reviews! Google knows exactly when and we’re i am with the Phones GPS and other things like Bluetooth and the cell towers in the area! Some businesses have BT devices in there establishments That passively send unique information to the google apps! You can’t just drive past a business and review it google asks After you have been there and waits for you to either submit a review or pass on it if you say just pulled into a lot to make a call! Sometimes it asks which business you were in if the gps wasn’t getting a good signal! I still have hundreds of reviews I didn’t do yet and I will probably pass on most if I don’t remember my experience there! It’s a lot of work if you travel a lot!
Finally, we just got another review. This person chose to give everyone a 5/5, but yet again this is not a customer. Here's the link... https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/115667648004062064562/reviews/@17.1190559,-61.8567019,13z/data=!.... Even though it is a 5/5, I expect this one to be fake since it is a local review and we serve very few locals based on our business model. My wife will confirm in a few hours from now since I am traveling.
Notice a pattern? All are batched reviews with no comments. A simple algorithm could capture this and save businesses on Google a LOT of pain.
That's some good information @saboken. Thank you! But in our case it only makes the pattern that more confusing. You would have to see our location, but someone would have to drive up a dead end into our property to fulfill that requirement. We would know if we had unknown people driving into our property unless, of course, the reviewers are the taxi drivers for our guests, but that is unlikely because when I trace the individuals none are listed on taxi drivers.
I am traveling now, but when I return home I am going to contact all the reviewers. We live on a small island and most of the reviewers have very unique names so they are easy to find. I can find them via friends, Facebook, and LinkedIn. If I identify a reviewer and they do not remove the review, then I will file suit since this behavior serves as libel according to our laws. We are that serious at this point. I will say that I did identify one reviewer and talked with her on the phone. She claims that she never did the review which makes the situation even more confusing.
I just Google would fix this platform. I am wasting a lot of time responding to, and researching methods for handling, fake reviews.
All the best and thanks for your comment!
The other option, of course, is that the software is flawed. Either way, again in our case, the reviews are fake because they didn't take our cooking classes.
2022
