Entrepreneurs are being targeted with fake reviews on Google, leading to extortion attempts, according to NOS. This issue affects various businesses, including construction firms and locksmiths.
- Tahir's Google business profile received fake reviews.
- Entrepreneurs face extortion to remove negative reviews.
- Companies rely on online ratings to attract customers.
- Google takes days or weeks to remove fake reviews.
- Scammers target small businesses like contractors and locksmiths.
- Researcher Kay Dean studies fake reviews and extortion.
Businesses receive numerous negative reviews on their Google profiles, which impacts their visibility on Google search and Google Maps. Following this, they often receive WhatsApp messages from foreign numbers demanding payment to remove the reviews.
Victims report that the scammers ask for hundreds of euros. One locksmith, Mike Kock, stated, “I know what happens if you pay: then they drain you completely.” He refused to pay and subsequently received more negative reviews.
“In a few minutes, we received about thirty fake reviews,” said Esra Ersoy from a moving lift rental company.
— Esra Ersoy, Business Owner
Companies can report fake reviews through their Google profiles, but many entrepreneurs experience delays in removal, sometimes lasting weeks or months. Researcher Kay Dean noted that many victims find it difficult to contact Google directly.
Originally reported by nos.nl as “Oplichters chanteren bedrijven met neprecensies op Google” on 2025-09-24 09:09:00.
