How to Report Fake Google Reviews (Step-by-Step Guide)

Imagine waking up to find your business page flooded with reviews—some from people you’ve never met, others spreading false claims.

It’s frustrating, unfair, and it can cost you real customers. But the good news? You don’t have to let fake reviews control your reputation.

This guide breaks down how to report fake Google reviews, what to expect after you flag them, and how to safeguard your credibility moving forward.

Are Fake Google Reviews Allowed?

No… Google does not allow fake reviews. Google’s policies require reviews to reflect a real customer experience.

Any content that misleads or manipulates ratings violates these rules. This includes both positive and negative fakes:

Positive fakes: paid or bot-generated glowing reviews with no real service.
Negative fakes: false claims meant to damage a business.

These rules help keep Google reviews fair, trustworthy, and useful for everyone.

Can You Report Someone for Fake Reviews?

Yes. Anyone — business owners, customers, and even competitors — can report a fake Google review if they believe it violates Google’s guidelines.

Google’s priority is to maintain honest and authentic feedback on its platform, so any user who spots suspicious activity has the right to flag it.

How to Report Fake Reviews on Google

Google offers multiple ways to report reviews that violate its content policies.

You can use one of the following methods:

Google Business Profile (GBP) Dashboard: Best for business owners managing reviews directly.
Google Maps (Desktop or Mobile): Useful for anyone viewing the review publicly.
Google’s Reviews Management Tool: A centralized platform for business owners to check the status of flagged reviews and file appeals.

Each method leads to the same outcome — Google reviews the flagged content to determine if it violates their policies.

Via Google Business Profile (for business owners):

Sign in to your Google Business Profile.
Go to the “Reviews” section.
Locate the suspicious review.
Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to the review.
Select “Flag as inappropriate.”
Choose the most accurate reason (e.g., spam, conflict of interest, hateful content).
Submit your report.

Via Google Maps (desktop or mobile):

Open Google Maps and search for the business.
Scroll to the reviews section and find the fake review.
Click or tap the three-dot menu (⋮) next to it.
Select “Report review” or “Flag as inappropriate.”
Follow the prompts and submit.

Tip:

If reporting on mobile, the process is nearly identical — you’ll find the “flag” option by tapping the three-dot menu next to the review in the Google Maps app or the Google Business Profile app.

Using Google’s Reviews Management Tool (for business owners):

Go to the Reviews Management Tool and sign in.
Select your business location.
Choose “Report a new review for removal.”
Select the review you want to report and provide the reason.
Submit your request and check back to track the status.

Things to Keep in Mind When Reporting Fake Reviews on Google

Reporting fake reviews isn’t a one-click fix. It’s important to set realistic expectations and approach the process carefully to avoid unnecessary setbacks.

What Happens After Reporting

Once you flag a review:

Google evaluates it against their content policies.
The review’s status may show as:
- Pending: Under review.
- Removed: Successfully taken down.
- No Violation Found: Google decided it doesn’t breach their policies.

If your request is denied, you usually have one chance to appeal with additional context or evidence through the Reviews Management Tool.

What to Do While Waiting

During Google’s evaluation period, you can take proactive steps to protect your reputation:

Respond professionally to the review, even if it’s fake. Example:
“We take feedback seriously, but we have no record of serving you. Please reach out so we can address this properly.”
This shows transparency to potential customers. For more on handling fake feedback, see how to report fake Google reviews.
Ask satisfied customers for reviews. A steady stream of authentic reviews helps outweigh the occasional fake one.
Be mindful of incentives. Offering rewards for reviews can violate Google’s policies. Learn more in our post on incentivized reviews.
Tailor your review requests. Different industries need different approaches:
Monitor for patterns. Keep an eye on other suspicious activity and document it in case you need to escalate.

What If the Review Isn’t Removed?

Sometimes Google won’t take down a flagged review. If that happens:

Appeal the decision via the Reviews Management Tool, providing more context or proof.
Contact Google Business Profile support for further assistance.
Escalate legally if it’s defamatory, extortionate, or causing severe harm. In some countries (like the U.S.), you can also report to agencies such as the FTC, which regulates deceptive online practices.
Focus on proactive reputation management. SurgePoint offers tools to automate review collection and monitoring through insights, making it easier to dilute fake reviews with genuine ones over time. You can also boost referrals and encourage repeat business as part of a holistic strategy.

Conclusion

If you’d like to dive deeper into building a stronger presence, we share practical tips on reputation marketing and cover topics like how many testimonials to include on your website and whether you can incentivize Google reviews.

We’ve also created resources tailored to different industries. Whether you’re in law, dental, medical, med spas, plumbing, or landscaping, we share strategies designed for you.

For more insights and actionable advice, feel free to explore our blog. We’re here to help you protect, strengthen, and grow your reputation.

Good luck with your next steps—you’ve got this, and we’ve got your back if you ever need us.

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