How You Can Respond to Fake Online Reviews of Your Business

In the internet age, online reviews can significantly impact your business’s reputation and profitability. Fake reviews, whether they come from competitors or disgruntled customers, can distort the public’s perception of your company and cause loss of business. You need to know how to respond effectively to these reviews and if necessary to seek legal damages for defamation or disparagement. 

To begin with, you should regularly track new reviews on Google, Yelp, and social media sites in order to flag suspicious activity early. Most review platforms have policies against fake reviews and mechanisms for reporting them. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers advice on reporting fake reviews to the particular platform, such as the following:

• Google — Use the ‘Flag as inappropriate’ link under the review in your Google My Business account to report suspicious reviews directly to Google.
• Facebook — Report a review by clicking on the three dots in the top left corner of the review, selecting ‘Find support or report recommendation’, and following the prompts. 
• Yelp — Use the ‘Report review’ link under the specific review on your business page and provide a reason for the report.

Provide as much evidence as possible that the review is fake, in order to convince the platform to take action more quickly.

There are also these actions you can take to counteract the ill effects of a fake review:

• Respond professionally — Whether a review is fake or genuine, responding professionally helps maintain your business’s good standing. Address the concerns raised and offer to resolve any legitimate issues. This active engagement shows other customers that you care about customer satisfaction.
• Encourage real reviews — Invite your customers and vendors to share their honest experiences. A steady stream of genuine reviews can dilute the impact of the fake ones.
• Keep documentation — If you suspect a pattern or a targeted attack, retain all relevant documentation. This could be useful if legal action is necessary or if you need to report the issue to authorities.

If fake reviews are causing significant harm to your business, you might consider filing a legal claim. Business defamation involves false statements made by someone else, which are presented as facts and cause damage to your reputation or business. Disparagement, on the other hand, involves false statements that discredit your business’s goods or services. In either type of case, you must prove the falsity of the statement and that it has caused actual damage to your business, such as loss of customers or revenue. Bringing a claim requires establishing the identity of the poster of the fake review. Consult with an attorney skilled in defamation and disparagement cases to understand your chances of success and the potential costs involved.

The Law Offices of Donald W. Hudspeth, P.C. in Phoenix assists Arizona companies in fighting fake online reviews and in litigating disparagement and defamation claims. To schedule a consultation, call our firm today at 866-696-2033 or contact us online.