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Scammers are increasingly "review-bombing" businesses on Google Maps to extort them into paying to remove the negative reviews.
Google warned about the threat this week after business owners in New York, Florida, and elsewhere said they'd encountered the scheme in recent months.
The scammers will publish numerous negative reviews for a business on Google and Google Maps, causing their aggregate rating to plummet. They'll then contact the business with an extortion demand that can reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars in return for removing the negative feedback.
Google added that scammers can “threaten that if the business fails to pay the fee, the negative reviews will remain, or the attack will escalate and further damage the business's public rating and reputation to coerce the victim into paying the extortion demand.”
Some victims have also reported that the scammers appear to be based outside the US, citing the extortion messages coming from WhatsApp numbers based in countries such as Pakistan.
The scheme clearly violates Google Maps’ policies against fake engagement, in addition to harassment and extortion. In response, the company created a dedicated online form for businesses to contact Google about cracking down on fake reviews.
In a support page, Google notes business owners will need to submit evidence, such as screenshots or emails containing the extortion threat. The company is also urging affected businesses not to pay, as that would likely just incentivize the activity.
“After you submit your report with evidence, our team thoroughly investigates the claim and notifies you about the results of the investigation,” the company added. “Due to privacy and security reasons, we can’t share specific details about the investigation, but we are committed to maintaining the integrity of Business Profiles and reviews.”
Google brought up the issue as part of an online scam advisory, which also warned about “sophisticated scams impersonating popular AI services” that pretend to be free. In reality, the products are malware or malicious websites designed to steal your personal information.