Fake Review Extortion and What To Do If It Happens To You

How Scammers Are Holding Businesses Hostage

A disturbing new trend has emerged in the world of online business: scammers are weaponizing Google reviews to extort money from small businesses. This latest scheme represents a particularly vicious attack on vulnerable business owners who depend on their online reputation for survival.

The Anatomy of a Review Bombing Attack

Here’s how the scam typically works: Your business suddenly receives a flood of one-star reviews (often 10 to 20 or more) within a short timeframe. These aren’t your typical disgruntled customer complaints. Instead, they’re carefully orchestrated attacks using what appear to be legitimate Google accounts with established review histories.

Shortly after the negative reviews appear, you receive a phone call or message. The scammer, often claiming to be from overseas, explains that someone has “ordered” negative reviews against your business. They offer to remove them immediately for a fee, typically ranging from $250 to thousands ($100/review in some cases), payable only through cryptocurrency or other untraceable payment methods.

One business owner recently shared their harrowing experience: within hours, their Google Business Profile was bombarded with 16 one-star reviews. The scammer called immediately, claiming someone had ordered 50 negative reviews total. Feeling they had no choice, they paid $300 in cryptocurrency, and the reviews vanished, for now.

According to reporting from The New York Times, fraudsters are systematically extorting businesses for hundreds of dollars each by threatening to post fake negative reviews on Google Maps, with industry watchdog Fake Review Watch tracking more than 150 businesses worldwide targeted in this way.

Reddit’s small business communities have been flooded with similar accounts. One business owner posted: “Someone is blackmailing me over my Google Business Profile. They left 15 bad reviews and are demanding money ($300 at first).” Another reported on r/GoogleMyBusiness that scammers often use Pakistani phone numbers to post baseless negative reviews and then extort money to remove them.

Why This Scam Is So Effective

The effectiveness of this extortion scheme lies in its exploitation of three critical business vulnerabilities:

First, online reputation is everything in today’s digital marketplace. Studies show that 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and a single star difference in rating can impact revenue by 5 to 9 percent. Business owners understand this reality all too well.

Second, Google’s review removal process, while improving, can take days or weeks to resolve. During that time, potential customers are seeing those damaging reviews and making decisions based on false information. For many small businesses operating on thin margins, even a few days of reduced customer traffic can be catastrophic.

Third, the scammers use sophisticated techniques to make their fake reviews appear legitimate. They employ aged accounts with review histories, vary the posting times, and sometimes even include specific (though fabricated) details about supposed negative experiences. This makes it harder for Google’s automated systems to immediately flag them as fraudulent.

The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Report shows extortion was among the top three cybercrimes by complaint volume, with cyber-enabled fraud accounting for nearly 83% of all losses reported and a staggering $16.6 billion in total reported losses across more than 859,000 complaints.

What You Should Do Instead of Paying

If you find yourself targeted by review extortionists, resist the urge to pay. Paying only encourages more attacks. Here’s your action plan:

1. Document Everything Immediately

Screenshot all fake reviews, including reviewer profiles and posting times. Record any phone calls (where legally permitted) or save all text/email communications with the extortionist. This evidence will be crucial for both Google and law enforcement.

2. Report to Google Using Their Merchant Extortion Form

Google has created a specific reporting mechanism for these situations. Use the Google Merchant Extortion Form to report the attack immediately. This form fast-tracks your case to Google’s specialized team handling extortion attempts.

According to Google’s official guidance, when filling out the form, you should provide:

• Screenshots of all fake reviews

• Any communication from the extortionist

• Timeline of when reviews appeared

• Payment demands made

Google specifically states: “If someone offers to post, remove, or update reviews in exchange for payment, this is a violation of Google policies. Document the interaction and report it to Google.”

3. Flag Individual Reviews

While waiting for Google’s response to your extortion report, flag each fake review individually through your Google Business Profile dashboard. Select “Flag as inappropriate” and choose the most relevant violation category.

4. File a Report with Law Enforcement

Extortion is a federal crime in many countries. Here’s how to report in your jurisdiction:

United States: File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Include all documentation you’ve gathered. While individual cases might not result in immediate action, the FBI uses these reports to identify patterns and build cases against organized cybercrime rings.

Canada: Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre through their online reporting system at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca. You can also call toll-free at 1-888-495-8501. The RCMP recently launched a new National Cybercrime and Fraud Reporting System to streamline these reports.

United Kingdom: Report to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime. You can report online or call 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday 8am-8pm). In Scotland, you should also report to Police Scotland by calling 101.

Australia: Report through ReportCyber, operated by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC). You can also contact the Australian Cyber Security Hotline at 1300 292 371. Additionally, report to Scamwatch to help warn others.

Additionally, contact your local police department to file a report. Having an official police report number can sometimes expedite Google’s review removal process.

5. Report to Consumer Protection Agencies

United States: The FTC’s new rule on fake reviews, which went into effect October 21, 2024, specifically prohibits the sale or purchase of fake reviews. While primarily targeting the perpetrators, reporting to the FTC helps build the case for stronger enforcement and platform accountability.

Canada: File a complaint with the Competition Bureau Canada if the extortion involves misleading or deceptive practices.

6. Respond Publicly (But Carefully)

While you cannot directly state you’re being extorted (this could escalate the situation), you can post a general response to the sudden influx of reviews. Something like: “We’ve noticed an unusual pattern of reviews posted on [date] that don’t align with our customer records. We’re working with Google to investigate this matter and ensure the authenticity of all reviews on our profile.”

7. Rally Your Genuine Customers

Contact your loyal customers through email or social media (not mentioning the extortion) and encourage them to share their genuine experiences. A surge of authentic positive reviews can help offset the impact while you work on removal.

Prevention Strategies

While you cannot completely prevent these attacks, you can minimize their impact:

Build Review Resilience: Consistently encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. A business with 200 reviews will weather a 15-review attack better than one with only 20 reviews.

Monitor Your Profile Daily: Set up Google Alerts for your business name and check your Google Business Profile regularly. The faster you spot an attack, the quicker you can respond.

Maintain Customer Records: Keep detailed records of customer interactions. This documentation helps prove to Google that the reviews are fraudulent.

Create a Crisis Response Plan: Have contact information ready for Google support, law enforcement, and your web team. Know exactly what steps you’ll take if attacked.

The Bigger Picture

These review extortion schemes have exploded globally in 2024 and 2025. Businesses across the United States, Europe, Australia, and beyond are being targeted daily, with scammers operating primarily from overseas locations where prosecution is difficult.

Google has acknowledged the problem and claims to be implementing new detection systems and response protocols. However, the reality is that small businesses remain vulnerable while these improvements are rolled out. As one frustrated business owner posted on Reddit: “Google Maps is a lawless zone, rife with extortion gangs who had never been to your business.”

A Final Word of Caution

If you do pay the extortionist (and I strongly advise against it), understand that you’re likely to be targeted again. These scammers quite likely maintain lists of businesses that have paid, selling them to other criminal groups. One payment often leads to repeated extortion attempts.

Remember, legitimate review management never involves cryptocurrency payments or threats. If someone contacts you claiming they can remove negative reviews for a fee, or threatening to post negative reviews unless you pay, you’re dealing with a scammer.

The fight against review extortion requires all of us (business owners, platforms like Google, and law enforcement) to work together. By refusing to pay, reporting attacks promptly, and supporting fellow businesses facing these threats, we can make this crime less profitable and protect our online marketplace.

Stay vigilant, have a plan, and remember: your genuine customer relationships and authentic business practices will ultimately prevail over these criminal tactics.

This illegal activity should also give us pause when considering a company strictly by its star rating. If you are serious about finding a company to work with or buy from, dig deeper and remember that they may very well be victims of fake-review extortion.