Small Business Alert: Pressure to Pay for Good Reviews Could Impact Your Reputation and Profitability
Rising Scam Targets Small Businesses with Fake Reviews
Natalia Piper was managing her general contracting business, Build Solutions, in Los Angeles when she received a startling message on WhatsApp in June.
“Someone has ordered me to post a negative review on your business,” the message from a number based in Pakistan stated. “Got an order to post 20 reviews.”
Piper’s inquiry into the identity of the sender led her into a widespread scam that has been affecting small businesses globally. Fraudsters are extorting hundreds of dollars from business owners by threatening to post fake negative reviews on platforms like Google Maps, or by posting such reviews and demanding payment for their removal, according to various business accounts and industry watchdog data.
Small businesses that depend on online reviews—such as movers, roofing companies, and appliance repair services—are often the primary targets. Negative reviews can significantly harm a business’s star rating and online reputation, resulting in substantial revenue losses. Once posted, these reviews can also be challenging to remove from Google.
Piper had previously paid $150 to a person using a number from Bangladesh to eliminate some unfavorable comments before the new scam inquired about her business. She then paid $100 to the individual in Pakistan for the removal of additional reviews. However, weeks later, ten more fake reviews appeared on her profile. This time, she decided not to pay, and after reporting the fraud, Google eventually removed the reviews.
Before the removal, Piper’s Google rating plummeted from 5.0 to 3.6 stars. “It took me eight years to build my reputation, and one person can damage it in a single day,” she expressed during an interview.
While many consumers view online reviews as a reliable source for making purchase decisions, research indicates that ratings are often subject to manipulation. Companies like Google and Amazon regularly eliminate hundreds of millions of fake reviews annually; however, numerous fraudulent reviews continue to evade detection.
Scammers have exploited vulnerabilities in the review system for years, but the advent of artificial intelligence tools has escalated their activities, enabling them to generate high volumes of realistic-sounding fake reviews.
“There exists an underworld behind the online content that people are largely unaware of,” said Kay Dean, a former federal investigator monitoring these scams through her initiative, Fake Review Watch. Dean has identified over 150 businesses worldwide affected by fake negative reviews.
Watchdog organizations and business owners are increasingly blaming platforms like Google for inadequate responses to these issues, claiming that moderation practices lack transparency and offering minimal tools for businesses to safeguard their online reputations. “These businesses are being extorted, and Google isn’t doing enough about it,” Dean remarked.
In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) established a new regulation aimed primarily at businesses that purchase fake positive reviews. However, this regulation did not impose new requirements on review platforms such as Google, Yelp, or Amazon, which have expansive legal protections under Section 230 regarding content on their sites.
A spokesperson for the FTC stated that “reviews must reflect the honest opinions of the reviewer” and noted that individuals responsible for fake reviews could face civil penalties exceeding $53,000 per incident. The FTC also collaborates with international authorities to combat overseas scams.
While Google allows its users to report fake reviews, business owners have no means to contact the company directly. Piper attempted to reach out through various channels, even contacting the advertising department through which she invests thousands to promote her business, but received no assistance.
“Until those reviews are removed, you get no calls, and no customers want to hire you,” she explained.
In response, a Google spokesperson assured that the company removes the “vast majority of fraudulent content before it’s ever seen” and has taken action against over 900,000 accounts for recurring policy violations. The spokesperson also shared that Google plans to launch a tool for businesses to report scam attempts, although further details were not provided.
After removing her cellphone number from her business pages, Piper was able to halt new scam-related messages on WhatsApp, effectively ending her ordeal. She has encouraged other businesses in her network to take similar precautions.
Research by Dean highlighted that one account responsible for posting fake reviews on Piper’s business had targeted over 30 other companies, including a drywall service in Covington, Washington, and a locksmith in Switzerland.
Another victim of this scam is Nick Betourney, who operates a moving company in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Having spent years cultivating genuine customer reviews, Betourney achieved a 5-star rating on Google Maps. However, on August 11, he received a WhatsApp message indicating a contract had been placed for 20 fake 1-star reviews on his page.
“They are specifically targeting smaller service-based businesses that don’t accumulate as many reviews as larger companies,” Betourney stated. He reported the malicious reviews, which Google subsequently removed, only for five more fake 1-star reviews to appear the next day.
“The reviews were not just vague complaints; they included elaborate claims, like movers intentionally smashing a box,” he recounted.
The individual who contacted Betourney used the name Rashid Ghallu on WhatsApp, claiming to run a business that writes fake reviews for $100 per 20 reviews. When approached by The New York Times, this individual denied extorting businesses, insisting instead that they receive contracts to post negative reviews and reach out beforehand to offer businesses the option to pay.
Dean indicated that patterns such as multiple businesses being bombarded with negative reviews from phony accounts should be straightforward for Google to identify and remove. However, these reviews often remain posted until each business files an individual report.
“It’s just an ocean of disinformation,” she commented, “and people lack both the ability and time to discern what is real versus fake.”
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ظهور fake review scams poses significant threats to small businesses in Oman, particularly those reliant on robust online reputations for attracting customers. Investors and entrepreneurs should proactively consider measures to safeguard their online presence, such as enhancing their digital strategies and exploring partnerships with cybersecurity firms. As the regulatory landscape evolves, particularly with potential new global standards, staying ahead of these risks can yield competitive advantages in the growing digital marketplace.
