A month ago, we reported Google added a new form to report negative review extortion scams on your Google Business Profiles and local listings. Google also listed some tips on how to handle these extortion attempts. But I am glad to report that some local SEOs are saying this form is working and those extortion reviews are being removed by Google.
A Local Search Forum thread has one local SEO asking for advice on being hit with negative reviews via this extortion method. I sent them the form and asked them to let me know if it worked.
They replied saying it worked and they wrote:
Hi all, happy to report that all the fake 1-star reviews have been removed, and the scammer has not been paid. Seems like the new "extortion report" form did the trick, so thanks for the pointer there.A couple of small tips for anyone else facing this:
1. Despite online advice to the contrary, I think it's best not to reply to the fake reviews until you've gone through the removal process. The scammer receives notification of any reply and that tells him that you care, and wish for the review to be removed: his cue to offer to "help remove them". IMO it's better to appear un-bothered initially
2. The "extortion reporting tool" requires you to submit evidence of extortion (emails, DMs). This is tricky because it means you need to engage with the attacker, to the point where he clearly asks for money in exchange for removal of the reviews. That will be your "smoking gun" to submit to Google, but also means that the attacker has your details, and to him you appeared willing to pay. The only easy part is that he will be in a hurry to get paid because he knows that the regular spam reports might only take 48hrs, so can't be too coy about trying to extort you. Bit of a messed up system but here we are!
Here is another post from an local SEO:
I submitted an extortion review attack yesterday at 10:27 AM PST. Today at 6:11 AM EST, I received the alert that all 11 reviews were removed. Google hasn't deleted the profiles that left the reviews.
So if you run into this, give the form a try and see if it works for you.
Forum discussion at Local Search Forum.
