How to remove fake Google reviews

What Google treats as a fake review

The Maps prohibited and restricted content policy says contributions should reflect a genuine experience at a place or business, and a review or rating should reflect an actual experience and be genuine and unbiased. Google says it identifies and removes fake or biased content and rating manipulation.

Under Fake Engagement, the policy says fake engagement is not allowed and will be removed. That includes content that is not based on a real experience or does not accurately represent the location or product; reviews or ratings that have been paid for, directly or in kind; content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person; and content posted with an emulator, a modified operating system, or another method to mimic genuine engagement.

The same page says merchants and users may not solicit or encourage content that does not represent a genuine experience, offer incentives (payment, discounts, or free goods or services) in exchange for posting a review or for revising or removing a negative review, or post content on a competitor’s listing to undermine that business.

Under Rating Manipulation, Google says incentivized or biased reviews are not allowed and will be removed from Maps. It also includes content based on a conflict of interest: current or former employment, a contract, a consulting relationship, an industry competitor, or a family relationship.

Only policy violations are removed

Business Profile Help says you can report any review, but only reviews that violate Google’s policies are eligible for removal. Flagged reviews that violate the content policies are removed and no longer show on Maps and Search.

The same page says not to report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it. It says Google does not get involved in conflicts between businesses and customers, and that a negative review can highlight an area to improve. This guide does not promise that Google will delete a review.

How to report it on the Business Profile

Google describes these steps in Business Profile Help. If the case is an extortion attempt that uses negative reviews, the same page points you to report that incident on its own path.

The reason examples Google writes are “Spam” and “Profanity”. The page does not publish a closed list of reasons.

1. Open the Business Profile. Go to your Business Profile.
2. Read the reviews. Select Read reviews.
3. Report the review. Next to the review you want to flag, select Report.
4. Choose the reason. Select the reason. The examples Google gives are “Spam” and “Profanity”.
5. Send the report. Select Send report.

What Google says about timing and third-party reviews

Google says review evaluation typically takes several days. That page does not publish a maximum number of days or a guarantee of removal. You check the status in the Reviews Management Tool.

It also says third-party reviews from non-Google sources might show on the Business Profile, and that merchants in the European Economic Area can report those third-party reviews directly on Google.

The management tool and a one-time appeal

Google also explains the Reviews Management Tool: confirm the profile email (or switch account), choose the business, continue to report a new review, choose Report, choose the reason, and submit.

The statuses it lists are: decision pending; report reviewed with no policy violation; and, if you appealed, escalated, with an email update.

If the review does not qualify for removal, Google says you can submit a one-time appeal. In the tool you choose “Appeal eligible reviews”, you can select up to 10 reviews, and you fill out the form. The result email says two things: if it violates the policies, it is removed; if it complies, it stays live.

Automated spam detection

Google says it uses automated spam detection to remove reviews identified as spam, and that the system may sometimes remove legitimate reviews by mistake. If that happens, the page says to contact its support. This page does not make that contact.

While you wait, you publish the reply

Reporting a review does not post a reply. If the review stays on the profile, the next reader also sees what you write. In Reseñas you paste the review and copy a draft. You publish it. Reseñas does not send the report to Google.

Does Google remove a review only because I think it is fake or because I dislike it?

No, according to Business Profile Help. It says only reviews that violate its policies are eligible for removal, and not to report a review just because you disagree with it or dislike it. Google does not step into the dispute between the business and the customer.

What does Google call fake engagement?

The prohibited and restricted content policy says fake engagement is not allowed and will be removed. It includes content that is not based on a real experience, paid reviews, content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person, and content posted to mimic genuine engagement. It also prohibits incentives in exchange for posting, changing, or removing a review, and content on a competitor’s listing meant to undermine it.

How many days until it is removed?

Google says evaluation typically takes several days. That page does not publish a maximum wait or a guarantee of removal. You check the status in the Reviews Management Tool.

Is there an appeal if they find no violation?

Yes. Google says that if you disagree with “report reviewed — no policy violation”, you can submit a one-time appeal, up to 10 reviews. If the review complies with the policies, it stays live.

Does Reseñas send the report to Google?

No. Reseñas drafts a reply for you to copy and publish. The report is sent from your Business Profile or the Reviews Management Tool, with the business account.