False positive reviews
It is time to investigate if you see misleading or false reviews about a business. You can report misleading or false reviews to Google's My Business group. Sometimes the community forum will be able find the post automatically and escalate it with Google. No matter who you contact, it is important to provide factual information. False reviews could not only be deceptive but illegal.
A recent investigation conducted by CBC News uncovered a growing black market for fake reviews. Some companies have paid to buy fake positive reviews. Many others have been scammed by online firms offering "review-fixing", or posting negative comments. One investigation revealed a network involving fake reviewers that involved 1,279 North America businesses. These accounts posted 3,574 fake reviews.
Spam
Google's new ML-based algorithm to moderate reviews has slowed down spam reviews creation, but it isn’t entirely solved. The number of spam comments reported rose to an all-time high in April and may. It's not clear whether Google is dialing back its spam-removal algorithm, or if its actions are simply a reaction to the rising number of complaints.
Google Review Filter is a tool that businesses can use to filter out spammy reviews. This allows businesses to search for and remove any reviews that do not comply with their policies. The algorithm detects spam reviews, which are fake reviews that have been written by people who do not know the product and are intended to manipulate star rankings. It also considers duplicate customer reviews spam.
Fraudulent reviews
It can be very frustrating to have a lot of fake Google reviews. There are several ways to spot fake reviews. One way to spot fake reviews is to look through your customer base. If there are duplicate reviews, chances are that someone else has bought a product or placed an order for you. To determine if they are real customers, you can look at the details of the reviewer.
If you notice a review you don't recognize, try flagging it. Google will review all flagged reviews. But, it is impossible to be sure that it will be taken down. It may still be up, and you could lose your online visibility.
Reporting suspicious reviews to Google
Google can be contacted in the event of suspicious reviews. You can do this through the Support tab on your Google My Business page. Send your message using either the email or phone number options. You should attach a screenshot from the review when you contact Google. Within 24 hours, a Google representative will respond.
Google's review system is intended to be fair to both businesses and consumers, but it is important to note that it is also prone to false reviews. It is important to be aware that fake reviews are very difficult to spot. A network consisting of fake reviews was discovered in a CBC News investigation. It covered at least 1,279 North America-based businesses, 208 fake account numbers, and 3,574 fraudulent reviews.