Removing Google My business reviews

[Fred Claus]

I have a client who has been involved in a legal issue. His brother was falsely accused of being a child predator by his daughter, who is mentally disturbed (four different agencies investigated this and found that she made the whole thing up). Because of this, hundreds of people went onto my client's company's Google My Business page and started posting negative reviews. Not about the business, but about the owner's brother being a child predator. The reviews are false and have nothing to do with the company. My client has gone to Google and reported the reviews, but they are still there. Are there new steps that should be taken to get these reviews removed?

 

[ThatPlace928]

If it were me, I'd remove the listing and create a new one. If he's paying for an ad and Google isn't responding to his request, I wouldn't advertise with them anymore. Other than that, I really don't have any other recommendations. It sucks that people can be so mean-hearted.

 

[Fred Claus]

If it were me, I'd remove the listing and create a new one. If he's paying for an ad and Google isn't responding to his request, I wouldn't advertise with them anymore. Other than that, I really don't have any other recommendations. It sucks that people can be so mean-hearted.

Thanks for that tip. I didn't know it was an option to take down the Google my Business Listing.

 

[Porthos]

Better check the other reviews like Yelp, facebook, etc.

 

[Philippe]

My client has gone to Google and reported the reviews, but they are still there.

Google allows you to "appeal" their first decision... and that's it! Nothing more you can do

 

[wkt_1]

I have a client who has been involved in a legal issue. His brother was falsely accused of being a child predator by his daughter, who is mentally disturbed (four different agencies investigated this and found that she made the whole thing up). Because of this, hundreds of people went onto my client's company's Google My Business page and started posting negative reviews. Not about the business, but about the owner's brother being a child predator. The reviews are false and have nothing to do with the company. My client has gone to Google and reported the reviews, but they are still there. Are there new steps that should be taken to get these reviews removed?

It's unfortunate that your client's business is being targeted due to false accusations against their brother. Since the reviews have been reported to Google but are still present, there are additional steps that can be taken:

1. Continue Reporting the Reviews: Persistence is key. Encourage your client to keep reporting each false review. Use the "Flag as inappropriate" feature for every single review that violates Google’s review policies.
2. Contact Google My Business Support: Sometimes direct contact with support can be more effective. Here are steps to follow:
   • Sign in to Google My Business.
   • Open the location you'd like to manage.
   • Click "Support" in the left menu.
   • You can either request a callback, chat, or email support explaining the situation in detail.
3. Legal Action: If Google support does not resolve the issue, consider taking legal action. A cease and desist letter to Google may expedite the removal process. Consult with a legal professional to draft and send this letter.
4. Respond to Reviews Publicly: While waiting for the reviews to be removed, publicly respond to them on the Google My Business page to clarify the situation. This can help mitigate the impact on potential customers. A suggested response could be:"We are aware of the false accusations made against a family member of the business owner. Multiple investigations have cleared these accusations. The reviews here are not related to our business services. We are working with Google to have these reviews removed. Thank you for your understanding."
5. Request Positive Reviews from Genuine Customers: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. This can help overshadow the negative ones and maintain a positive online presence.
6. Social Media and Website Statement: If appropriate, make a statement on the company’s social media pages and website explaining the situation to customers. Transparency can build trust and understanding.

By taking these steps, your client can actively work towards mitigating the impact of these false reviews.

Please let me know if there are any other ways I can assist you.

 

[seashore]

The wonders of AI.

 

[callthatgirl]

I've reported false reviews and Google removed them.

 

[Philippe]

The wonders of AI.

Nevertheless some good advice:

1. Respond to Reviews Publicly
2. Request Positive Reviews from Genuine Customers
3. Social Media and Website Statement

Anyone had any success contacting Google support (about bad review)?

 

[britechguy]

Anyone had any success contacting Google support (about bad review)?

Clearly @callthatgirl has, and has stated that these were removed.

 

[Philippe]

Clearly @callthatgirl has, and has stated that these were removed.

Reporting reviews (with or without success) & contacting support (i.e. direct contact with support) are 2 different things...

 

[Canadian Tech]

I have had some luck in removing reviews but it really depends on how far you're willing to push the issue.

 

[NviGate Systems]

1. Respond to Reviews Publicly: While waiting for the reviews to be removed, publicly respond to them on the Google My Business page to clarify the situation. This can help mitigate the impact on potential customers. A suggested response could be:"We are aware of the false accusations made against a family member of the business owner. Multiple investigations have cleared these accusations. The reviews here are not related to our business services. We are working with Google to have these reviews removed. Thank you for your understanding."
2. Social Media and Website Statement: If appropriate, make a statement on the company’s social media pages and website explaining the situation to customers. Transparency can build trust and understanding.

By taking these steps, your client can actively work towards mitigating the impact of these false reviews.

Please let me know if there are any other ways I can assist you.

For #1, I would change it to "accusations" not "false accusations". You'd have to reword the rest of the sentance. The thing is, these folks clearly have in thier mind guilty as charged, so if you go in and spring the whole "it's fake" dialogue it could rile them up more. If there is a public facing portal where the court decision was made public, you can direct them there, but as I imagine most family court findings are not made public, so I would have some generic statement that you will allow the appropriate authorities to take needed action, in other words, you are not there to halt legal process.

Again with #2 don't take sides, just explain facts as they are: "We are aware of accusations made against xyz, Computer Inc asks that you allow law enforcement to handle the situation etc." again, don't start the whole "false" side of things, it has no place there. Corporate statements have to be somewhat neutral and to the point. Seperate personal from business.