Removing Fake or illegitimate reviews from your Google My Business Listing

How to Manage Your Google Review Takedown Requests: A Guide, Review, and Case Study

If you want to remove negative reviews, this is the process:

1. Flag the Review

Flag a review in your account

  1. On your computer, sign in to Google My Business.
  2. Choose the review you’d like to flag:
    • Multiple listings: In the menu on the left, click Manage reviews. Then, use the drop-down menu to choose a location group. (This feature is not available for organization accounts.)
    • Reviews for a single listing: Open the one you’d like to manage. In the menu on the left, click Reviews.
  3. On the review you’d like to flag click More >  “Flag as inappropriate”.

Flag a review in Google Maps

  1. On your computer, open Google Maps.
  2. Find your business listing.
  3. Find the review you’d like to flag.
  4. Click More >  Flag as inappropriate.

Flag a review in Google Search

  1. On your computer, go to Google.
  2. Find your business listing.
  3. Click Reviews.
  4. Find the review you’d like to flag.
  5. Place your cursor over the star rating.
  6. Click “Flag as inappropriate”

2. Flag as Conflict of Interest

If you’ve tried the “Flag as inappropriate” option, and does not get accepted, try then selecting the other option “Conflict of interest”.

Do the exact same process as above but flag as “Conflict of Interest”

3. Failing that, you will need to contact GMB support

You’ll need to explain what type of violation you’re reporting.

Wait 3 days from when you flagged the review, then Contact Support through your GMB account (help button in the top right) or use this form: https://support.google.com/business/contact/business_inappropriate_reviews?hl=en&ec=exp_manage_customer_reviews&cfsi=exp_manage_customer_reviews&cfnti=6058724&cft=3

You will need enough data to prove these are fake/malicious reviews. Collect all information possible about the reviewers by going to their profiles:

  • If you can prove they are in the wrong
  • If they are new accounts
  • If there is no profile photo
  • If they haven’t made any legitimate reviews before (You can see it in their profile)
  • If all these reviews came overnight

Good luck