Google Review Extortion Scam
A Google review extortion scam targets small business owners. Scammers post, or threaten to post, a flood of fake one-star reviews on a business's Google listing, then demand payment to make them stop or to remove the ones already there. The aim is to frighten owners into paying quickly to protect their reputation. Paying rarely helps and often marks you as a target for repeat demands. Reporting fake reviews and responding calmly is usually more effective than handing over money.
Quick verdict
What this scam usually looks like
A Google review extortion scam targets small business owners. Scammers post, or threaten to post, a flood of fake one-star reviews on a business's Google listing, then demand payment to make them stop or to remove the ones already there. The aim is to frighten owners into paying quickly to protect their reputation. Paying rarely helps and often marks you as a target for repeat demands. Reporting fake reviews and responding calmly is usually more effective than handing over money.
Example message pattern
This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.
Red flags to watch for
- A wave of one-star reviews appearing in a short space of time, often with little or no written detail.
- A direct message, email or review comment demanding payment to remove the reviews or to stop further ones.
- Payment requested in cryptocurrency, gift cards or other hard-to-trace methods.
- Reviewers with no profile photo, no review history, or names that do not match any real customer you can identify.
- Threats that your rating will keep dropping or that 'hundreds more' reviews are ready unless you pay quickly.
What to do
- Take dated screenshots of the suspicious reviews and any demand messages, as this evidence helps with reporting and disputes.
- Report the fake reviews to Google through your Business Profile, flagging them as violating the review policies.
- Respond publicly to the worst reviews in a calm, professional way, which reassures genuine customers reading them later.
- If the demands continue or feel threatening, consider reporting the matter to your local police or relevant authority.
If you already clicked or replied
- If you clicked a link in the demand, avoid entering any login or payment details and close the page.
- Run a security scan on your device if the link prompted any download or asked you to install anything.
- Change the password for your Google and business accounts and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Review who has access to your Business Profile and remove any accounts you do not recognise.
What not to do
- Do not pay the demand, as it rarely stops the reviews and often invites repeat extortion.
- Do not reply with personal or financial details or engage in a back-and-forth negotiation.
- Do not respond to fake reviews with insults or by revealing customer details, which can breach review policies and harm your reputation.
Similar scams
Fake Review Scam
In this scam, fake or paid five-star reviews and fake review websites make a dishonest seller, product, or store look trustworthy, leading shoppers to buy items that are poor quality, counterfeit, or never arrive at all.
Facebook Business Page Scam
This scam targets page owners with a message or email posing as Facebook or Meta, claiming a policy violation or that the page will be unpublished. A fake 'appeal' or 'verify business' link steals the admin's login.
Buy Followers Scam
This scam promises thousands of cheap followers, likes or views, then takes your payment and delivers fake or no followers. Some ask for your account password directly, and the bought engagement can get your account flagged or banned by the platform.
Frequently asked questions
Should I just pay to make the bad reviews stop?
Can Google remove fake reviews?
How can I tell a review is fake?
Will fake reviews permanently damage my business?
Last reviewed: June 2026