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How to Detect and Remove Fake Google Reviews?

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Published on: 14 December, 2021

Do you know that only 47% of internet users are interested in posting Google reviews?  

These reviews are like assets for all companies. They work just like stocks. If they are positive, you will be earning more else you will have to try hard to make the feedback positive. Indeed, companies do not want bad reviews. That’s why they are always looking to improve. 

However, there is a big problem for your company. People can leave fake Google reviews about your product or company. Last year 82% of online consumers read fake reviews. And 92% confirmed that they read fake reviews on the internet.

Remember, fake Google reviews can prove a pain in the neck. Google is a third party that can receive reviews for your company. Thus it is not easy to remove those fake Google reviews. You will have to follow a process to remove fake reviews. Google My Business Post can spread your products or services, increase your brand awareness, and improve your relationship with customers. Let us manage your social channels, and we will achieve your goals together. Netmow is the best solution for making the company communicate with its target audience, increasing interaction and loyalty.

However, the first step is to identify fake reviews. Because if you cannot locate the fake reviews, how can you appeal against them? 

So, if you want to detect false reviews, then continue to read this article. 

How to spot fake reviews? 

To identify fake reviews, you don’t have to be whip-smart. But you should know some essential points that will help you recognize them. So, write the coming headings to locate the fake feedback. 

Read the details of the review carefully 

Fake reviews are hard to detect when

  • They have a real 
  • A long comment 

But if you read the comment attentively, you will know that it is fake. How’s that possible? Well, the fake review is there to change your buyer’s mind, so it should have a convincing and a persuading message. 

But if one has not used your product, how will they know the correct pros and cons? Thus they will come up with a fictional story to divert the minds of other visitors. A study has shown that fake hotel reviews contain more info about the reviewer’s family than the hotel’s review. 

Use of simple words 

When a person is writing a genuine review, he can use technical language. This is not the case with fake reviews. Since they are already using too much mind to create fictional detail. Thus if the review does not contain long or complex words, there are high chances that it is fake. 

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A paper written by Judee K Burgoon states that when a person is trying to be deceptive, he will use more straightforward language. 

Excessive use of exclamation 

Since the exclamation mark highlights your emotion, the fake reviewers will try to emphasize their statement by using it. A study conducted by ERIC T. ANDERSON shows that deceptive reviews have more exclamation signs. 

Also, the study shows that at least five percent of reviews on any product’s website are from customers who have never bought the item. And these reviews are the mean reviews. So, you should keep an eye on your reviews. 

 

Name and avatar of the reviewer 

People who post fake reviews will have fake accounts. Especially for Google, they will need an account because an 

email is necessary to post Google reviews. 

So, if the name is suspicious, you should start digging more about the person. 

fake google reviews

Check if the person has other reviews 

You can check the legitimacy of the review by looking at reviews left by the same account. If it does not have any other review or promotes a specific business, it is a fake account. 

To see more reviews of an account, just click on the name. 

How often does a reviewer leave reviews?

Why do people post fake Google reviews? They do that because they are paid for this. And when they are hired for the task, they post reviews in bulk. They will change their account but after posting at least a hundred reviews. 

Thus just compare the posting dates of different reviews to identify the fakeness of an account. 

Reviews without comments 

Google allows its users to post reviews without adding comments. Users will select a number of stars to describe the experience. And this is worth investigating because a review without any comment is not helpful. Thus you should act against such reviews. 

How to report fake reviews on Google?

Once you have identified fake reviews, you will need to follow a process to remove them. You will have to follow specific steps because Google does give you the right to delete reviews directly. 

Moreover, Google will take some time to remove the flagged reviews. But if it finds that your appeal is not good enough, Google will not remove them. 

You will have to follow the following steps to flag the fake reviews. 

Open your Google My Business account 

 

The first step for removing false reviews is to open your Google My Business account.

fake google reviews

Click on the reviews tab 

Locate and click the Reviews tab 

on the left navigation bar. Now you can see all  Google reviews of your business.

fake google reviews

Select the fake review 

 

Find and select the review you want to flag. 

fake google reviews

Click on the flag as inappropriate 

 

Click on the Trois dots located on the right of the review. A drop-down menu opens. Now, Click on the flag as inappropriate. 

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Complete the survey 

After completing the above process, Google will take you to a survey form. Here you will have to provide more information about your action. There will be a multiple-choice list. Mark your reason from the list.


fake google reviews

fake google reviews

Final thoughts 

Negative feedback is good because it helps your company to improve.

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But if it is fake, it can take you in deep waters without any reason. So, you should look out for them before they attack your business like termites. 

Frequently asked questions 

How do I report fake Google reviews?

Follow the steps to flag the fake reviews:

  • Open Google My Business 
  • Click on the reviews tab 
  • Select the fake review 
  • On the right side, click on three dots 
  • Now click on the flag as inappropriate 
  • Fill out the final survey 

What is the response to bad reviews?

If you believe that a review is wrong, you should take it positively and answer it gently. And if you think the review is fake, still calmly reply to it in the same manner, but report on Google as well. 

You should not show your anger on public platforms. 

Is it legal to buy Google reviews?

No, it is not legal to buy Google reviews in any state of the world. 

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