What Business Owners Need to Know While Dealing with Fake Google Reviews

In a world where online reputation can make or break a business, one fake review is all it takes to put a dent in the credibility of your business. The rise of AI-generated content and evolving black-hat strategies has also made fake Google reviews a more frequent and complex threat for local business owners in 2025.

How do you safeguard your company, then? And what should you do if a phoney review gets through Google's filters?

In this blog, we break down everything you need to know about spotting, reporting, and preventing fake reviews on your Google Business Profile (GBP).
Here’s what you need to know:

Why Fake Reviews Are a Big Deal in 2025

Google Business Profile remains one of the most powerful tools for local SEO, and customer reviews significantly impact how your business appears in search results and Maps. However, phony reviews, whether negative ones from competitors or too glowing ones that aren't real, can harm your exposure, limit clicks, and ruin customer trust.

In 2025, the situation has escalated:

• AI-written reviews are harder to detect.
• Google has updated its algorithms to crack down on suspicious behaviour.
• Businesses found engaging in fake review activity (even unintentionally)
• face strict penalties, including profile restrictions or suspension.

Many of these changes are covered in greater detail in What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About Fake Reviews on Google Business Profile in 2025, which outlines how evolving Google policies affect reputation management strategies.

How to Identify Fake Reviews

Fake reviews often follow patterns. We have outlined some of the key red flags to look for:

• Reviews that lack specific details (“Great service” or “Very bad experience” without context).
• Accounts with no profile photo, generic usernames, or no previous activity.
• A sudden spike in negative or positive reviews over a short period.
• Mentions of services you don’t offer or names you don’t recognise.
• Copy-pasted or templated language across multiple profile s.

Early detection of these trends can enable you to take action before your profile suffers.

Steps to Remove Fake Reviews
If you find a suspicious review on your GBP, then this is the recommended procedure:

1. Flag the review through your Google Business Profile: Select the most accurate reason, such as “Spam” or “Conflict of Interest.
2. Submit a formal appeal through Google Support with supporting pieces of evidence (screenshots, customer logs, etc.).
3. Escalate further if needed, recommended in serious cases like defamation or spam attacks, in some cases, legal support or digital reputation specialists may be required.

Preventive Measures to Protect Your Profile
Rather than waiting for fake reviews to appear, it's suggested that you build a strong & proactive foundation:

• Regularly ask real customers to leave honest feedback (via email, SMS, or QR codes).
• Monitor your profile weekly using review-tracking tools.
• Respond to all reviews (positive or negative) to show transparency and care.
• Educate staff on how to manage customer feedback and escalate potential review issues internally. A healthy stream of genuine reviews helps minimise the impact of a few fake ones; this also signals to Google that your business has a trustworthy review footprint.

What Not to Do
While it might be tempting to fight fire with fire, it’s best to resist the urge to make these common mistakes

• Don’t buy fake reviews to counteract a negative one.
• Don’t bribe customers with discounts for positive feedback.
• Don’t ignore the issue or leave them unaddressed, as fake reviews can stack up fast.

Google’s detection systems have improved significantly in 2025. Getting caught manipulating your review profile can have long-term consequences for your visibility and credibility.
This summary just covers the essentials, but if you need a more detailed blog, including:

Examples of fake vs. real reviews

• A sample response you can use when replying to fake reviews
• Links to Google’s current policy page
• What to do if your entire profile is flagged or suspended

Fake reviews aren’t just a nuisance, they’re a genuine threat to your reputation, local SEO, and customer trust. By monitoring your profile, responding strategically, and taking proactive measures, you can protect your business from reputation damage in 2025 and beyond.

Staying informed and consistent is the key to safeguarding your online presence. Start strengthening your Google Business Profile today and ensure that your reputation is built on authentic, credible feedback.