How to Flag and Report a Fake Google Review

A one-star review appears from someone called John S. He says your cafe gave him food poisoning on a date you were closed for a public holiday. You’ve never served him.

A review like that can undo months of work to get 5 Star Google Reviews in Australia, so deal with it today. Open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, select the three dots next to the review, and choose Report review. Then track the report in Google’s Reviews Management Tool and appeal if Google says no.

At BuyReviews we help Australian businesses through this process. Below are the steps for each route, and what to do while you wait.

How do you know a review is fake?

A review is fake when it doesn’t come from a real customer experience. You can’t always prove who wrote it, and you don’t need to. You need to show it isn’t from a customer.

The ACCC lists some signs: a spike of reviews in a short time, reviewers with similar names, generic wording with no detail, and language that matches other reviews. We’d add two more. The name isn’t in your records, or the review describes something that couldn’t have happened.

Be honest with yourself here. A harsh review from a real customer isn’t fake, and Google asks owners not to report reviews they simply disagree with.

How do you flag a fake review from Google Search?

This is the quickest route for most owners.

1. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
2. Search your exact business name on Google.
3. Select Read reviews.
4. Find the review and select the three dots next to it.
5. Select Report review.
6. Choose the reason that fits, then submit.

How do you flag it from Google Maps?

The steps are almost the same, and they work on a computer or in the Maps app.

1. Open Google Maps and find your business.
2. Open the Reviews tab.
3. Find the review and select the three dots.
4. Select Report review.
5. Choose a reason and submit.

Anyone can do this, not only the owner. Google says both Maps users and businesses can report reviews they believe break its policies.

How do you use the Reviews Management Tool?

This tool is where you report, track and appeal in one place. It’s only for owners and managers.

1. Search for “Google Reviews Management Tool” and open the page on Google’s Business Profile Help site.
2. Confirm you’re signed in with the right account, and select your business.
3. Choose the option to report a new review for removal.
4. Select the review and submit the report.
5. Come back later and choose the option to check the status of a review you reported.

We’d use this tool every time, even if you’ve already flagged the review from Search. It shows you where each report stands, so you’re not left guessing.

Which reason should you choose?

Google gives you a short list of reasons when you report. The exact wording can change, but it covers things like spam, conflict of interest, off-topic content, harassment, hate speech and personal information.

Match the reason to the facts. A review from someone who was never a customer is fake content, so spam is usually the closest fit. One from a competitor or a former employee is a conflict of interest. One that names a staff member’s home suburb is personal information.

In our experience, the wrong category is a common reason reports fail. Take a minute to pick the right one.

What happens after you report?

Google checks the review against its content policies. If it finds a violation, the review is removed from Maps and Search. If it doesn’t, the review stays.

Google doesn’t give a fixed time. We find a decision usually takes several days. Check the status in the Reviews Management Tool instead of reporting the same review again.

How do you appeal if Google says no?

You get an appeal, and it’s worth using if you have evidence.

1. Open the Reviews Management Tool and go to the status of your reported reviews.
2. At the bottom, select Appeal eligible reviews.
3. Select the review. You can choose up to 10 at once.
4. Explain in two or three sentences why it breaks policy.
5. Submit the appeal and watch your email. The status shows as escalated while Google looks at it.

Stick to facts. “We were closed on the date mentioned, and no customer of this name appears in our bookings” is the kind of statement that helps.

What else can you do while you wait?

Reply to the review. Future customers will read it, and a calm answer shows them the review doesn’t add up.

Thanks for your review. We’ve checked our records and can’t find a visit under this name, and we were closed on the date mentioned. Please contact us on [phone number] so we can look into it.

That’s the same measured tone we recommend whenever you respond to negative Google reviews. Don’t accuse anyone of lying, and don’t name a competitor.

Save screenshots of the review and the reviewer’s profile. If fake reviews keep arriving, you can also report the pattern to the ACCC, which accepts reports about fake reviews and review manipulation. And if someone demands money to remove reviews, Google has a separate process for reporting extortion.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Don’t report honest complaints as fake. It wastes your appeal and it won’t work.

Don’t ask friends or staff to flag the same review over and over. Don’t post fake positive reviews to cancel it out, and don’t post anything on a competitor’s profile in return. Each of those breaks Google’s rules, and in Australia fake reviews are against the law.

How do you protect your rating in the meantime?

Keep asking real customers. One fake review hurts far less on a profile with plenty of honest ones.

On a computer, open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews, then Copy. Google supplies the link, so you don’t need a Google review link generator. Ask each customer in person, then text the link or send a short review request email template the same day.

BuyReviews can run that for you. You share your customer list, we send the requests and reminders, and your customers write their own words. We can also help you report and appeal, which is the proper way to remove fake Google reviews. It’s how we help clients get Google reviews while a dispute is open, and how we improve Google reviews over time. Reporting fakes and collecting honest reviews are the two halves of online reputation management in Australia.

Frequently asked questions

How do I report a fake Google review?

Search your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages your profile. Select Read reviews, then the three dots next to the review, then Report review. Choose the reason that fits. You can track the report and appeal the outcome in Google’s Reviews Management Tool.

How long does Google take to review a flagged review?

Google doesn’t promise a time frame. In our experience, a decision usually takes several days, and appeals take longer. Check the status in the Reviews Management Tool instead of reporting the same review again. While you wait, post a calm public reply so customers reading the review can see your side.

Can I report a review if I’m not the business owner?

Yes. Google says both Google Maps users and businesses can report a review they believe breaks its policies. Open the business on Google Maps, find the review, select the three dots and choose Report review. Only the business owner or manager can use the Reviews Management Tool to track and appeal.

What if Google says the review doesn’t violate policy?

Appeal once, with evidence. In the Reviews Management Tool, select Appeal eligible reviews, choose the review and explain briefly why it breaks policy. Facts work best, such as having no record of the customer. If the appeal fails, the review stays, so reply to it calmly and keep collecting reviews from real customers.

Does flagging a review many times help?

Not in our experience. Google decides based on its policies, not on how many times a review is flagged. Asking friends or staff to pile on reports wastes time and can look like manipulation. Report it once with the right reason, then use the appeal process if you have evidence.

What should you do next?

Report the fake review now, using the right reason, and post your reply straight after. Put a reminder in your calendar to check the status in three days.

Then get back to asking real customers. Send BuyReviews your customer list and we’ll help you get Google reviews that keep one fake from defining your business.