Google recently introduced a dedicated form to report negative review extortion scams on Google Business Profiles and local listings. At that time, many business owners and local SEOs were hopeful but unsure if it would actually solve the problem. Now, things are finally looking positive. Some local SEOs are happy to report that the form is working and Google is removing these fake extortion reviews. Removals still leave a gap in your review count. The way to fill it is asking real customers for a review. Removal still takes time, and the review sits in public while you wait. A measured reply helps in the meantime, and responding to negative reviews shows what to write. The form only covers extortion. A review that is just unfair needs a different route, and getting rid of a negative review goes through the other options.
A discussion on Local Search Forum shows one local SEO asking for advice after being targeted by this scam. I shared the reporting form with them and asked them to update me if it helped.
Later, they replied, confirming that the new form actually worked. They said:
“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.”
They also shared a few helpful tips for others facing the same issue:
- Avoid replying to fake reviews before submitting the removal request. Any reply alerts the scammer that you care about the review, which encourages them to push for payment. It is better to look unbothered at the start.
- The extortion reporting form asks for proof, like emails or DMs. This becomes tricky because you need the attacker to clearly demand money in exchange for removing the reviews. That proof is important for Google, yet it also means the scammer gets your details and thinks you may be willing to pay. The only advantage is that scammers usually rush, since regular spam reports can get processed in about 48 hours, so they quickly reveal their intentions.
Another local SEO also shared their experience:
“I submitted an extortion review attack yesterday at 10:27 AM PST. Today at 6:11 AM EST, I received an alert that all 11 reviews were removed. Google has not deleted the profiles that left the reviews.”
This shows that the form is actually helping many businesses. So if you ever face this type of attack, you can try the official Google form.
For more discussion, check the full thread on Local Search Forum.
