Roofing companies, movers and contractors in the U.S. have been targeted by scammers who threaten to flood small businesses with fake one-star reviews unless they pay the amount requested, according to The New York Times. A significant amount of negative reviews—even when fake—can significantly damage a company’s reputation.
Scammers are extorting businesses for hundreds of dollars each by threatening to post fake negative reviews on Google Maps or posting fake negative reviews and then demanding payment to remove them. The scammers are targeting small businesses—such as roofing companies—that often rely on online reviews for success. The reviews also are difficult to remove from Google once they are posted.
Natalia Piper, who owns a general contracting business, was a victim of this scam. The fake negative reviews caused her Google rating to fall from 5 stars to 3.6 stars.
“It took me eight years to get my reputation in the market, and one guy can damage it in one day,” Piper said.
Although companies such as Google and Amazon regularly remove hundreds of millions of fake reviews each year, many more slip by. Artificial intelligence tools have made it easier for scammers, allowing them to create realistic-sounding fake reviews on a large scale.
Watchdogs and businesses say Google and other review websites can do more to stop the problem. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission established a rule to crack down on fake reviews, but it mostly was aimed at businesses that purchase fake positive reviews for themselves and did not add requirements for review platforms. Google allows businesses to report fake reviews, but business owners are unable to speak with someone directly at the company.
Some tips to consider from Piper’s experience if your company is targeted by this scam:
- Do not pay or respond to the scam and be sure you report it. After Piper paid multiple scammers to remove negative fake reviews, 10 more fake reviews appeared on her profile. She stopped paying and reported the fake reviews to Google, which eventually removed the reviews.
- Do not include your cellphone number online. Piper said when she removed her cellphone number from her business pages, new scammers stopped messaging her on WhatsApp, which ended the scam.
