Three one-star reviews appeared in two days. None of the names match your bookings, and one complains about a service you don’t offer. You’ve got a fair idea who’s behind it.
Don’t name them and don’t hit back. Save your evidence, report each review to Google, post a calm reply, and report the pattern to the ACCC if it continues. While that runs its course, keep asking real customers so you Buy Google reviews that outweigh the fakes.
We help Australian businesses through this at BuyReviews. It’s stressful, but there’s a clear order to do things in.
How do you know a review is from a competitor?
Usually you don’t know for certain, and you won’t be able to prove it. What you can show is that the review isn’t from a customer. That’s all Google needs.
The ACCC lists signs that a review may be fake: a spike of very negative reviews over a short time, reviewers with similar names, generic wording with no detail, and language that matches other reviews. We’d add two more from experience. The reviewer isn’t in your records, or they describe something your business doesn’t do.
What should you do first?
Collect evidence before you report anything. Reviews and profiles can change, and you want a record of how they looked.
- Screenshot each review, with the date and the reviewer’s name showing.
- Open the reviewer’s profile and screenshot their other reviews.
- Search your bookings, invoices, emails and messages for the name.
- Write down anything that doesn’t fit, such as a date you were closed.
- Save it all in one folder with today’s date.
This takes fifteen minutes and it makes every later step stronger.
How do you report a fake review to Google?
Report each review separately. Google treats reviews from competitors as a conflict of interest, and reviews from people who weren’t customers as fake.
- Search your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages your Business Profile.
- Select Read reviews.
- Select the three dots next to the review, then Report review.
- Choose the reason that fits best, such as conflict of interest or spam.
- Open the Reviews Management Tool and confirm each report is listed.
- Check the status after a few days.
Google also lets you report a user profile that keeps posting inappropriate content. That’s worth doing if the same account has attacked you more than once.
What if Google doesn’t remove it?
Appeal, and bring your evidence. In the Reviews Management Tool, select Appeal eligible reviews at the bottom of the page, then choose the review. You can appeal up to 10 at a time.
Keep your explanation short and factual. “No customer by this name in our booking system for 2026, and we don’t offer the service described” is the kind of statement that helps. Google emails you the decision.
How should you reply in public?
Reply to every fake review while you wait. Future customers will read it, and silence looks like agreement.
Here’s wording we’d use.
Thanks for your review. We’ve checked our records and can’t find a booking under this name, and we don’t offer the service described. We’d like to understand what happened, so please contact us on [phone number] or [email].
Notice what’s missing. There’s no mention of a competitor and no accusation. You’re showing readers, politely, that the review doesn’t match your business. That’s the same calm approach we recommend whenever you respond to negative Google reviews.
Can you report a competitor to the ACCC?
Yes. The ACCC says fake online reviews breach the Australian Consumer Law, and it has warned businesses not to write or commission misleading reviews about a competitor.
The ACCC accepts reports about fake reviews and review manipulation, and has a form for issues affecting your business. It uses those reports to decide where to investigate. It won’t resolve your individual dispute or remove a review for you, so treat this as a second track alongside Google.
Should you get a lawyer involved?
If the reviews are false, keep coming, and are costing you real work, a lawyer can tell you what options you have. Bring your evidence folder.
We’d see it as a last resort. It’s slow and it costs money, and in most cases we’ve seen, reporting plus steady new reviews fixes the problem first.
What should you never do?
Don’t post a fake review on their profile. It breaks the same Google rules and the same law, and it hands them evidence against you.
Don’t name the competitor in a reply or on social media. You probably can’t prove it, and a public accusation can backfire on you legally.
Don’t buy reviews to bury the fakes, either. Google can remove bought reviews and restrict your profile, which would leave you worse off than the attack did.
How do you protect your rating while you wait?
With real reviews from real customers. Three fakes hurt badly on a profile with ten reviews. On a profile with a hundred, they barely move the score.
- On a computer, open your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews, then Copy. Google gives you this link, so there’s no need for a Google review link generator.
- Ask every customer in person on the day the job is done.
- Text the link within the hour, or use a short review request email template.
- Send one reminder a week later.
- Reply to each new review.
BuyReviews can take this on. You share your customer list, we send the requests and reminders, and your customers write their own words. It’s how we help clients get Google reviews quickly after an attack and improve Google reviews for the long run. We can also help you report and appeal, which is the proper way to remove fake Google reviews. For us, online reputation management in Australia means doing both at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can a competitor leave a fake review on my Google profile?
They can post one, but it breaks Google’s rules and Australian law. Google treats reviews from competitors as a conflict of interest, and the ACCC says businesses shouldn’t write or commission misleading reviews about a competitor. Report the review to Google, reply calmly, and keep your evidence in case you need it later.
How do I prove a review is fake?
You rarely get proof of who wrote it, so focus on showing it isn’t from a customer. Check the name against your bookings, invoices and messages. Note anything that doesn’t fit, such as a service you don’t offer or a date you were closed. Screenshot the review and the reviewer’s profile before anything changes.
Should I name the competitor in my reply?
No. Even if you’re sure, you probably can’t prove it, and a public accusation can backfire legally and make you look petty to customers. Say you have no record of the reviewer as a customer and invite them to contact you. Make your case to Google through the reporting process instead.
Can I report the competitor to the ACCC?
Yes. The ACCC accepts reports about fake or misleading online reviews and review manipulation, and it has a form for issues affecting your business. It uses reports to guide its enforcement work and can investigate. It won’t resolve your individual dispute or get a single review removed, so report to Google as well.
Should I leave a bad review on their profile in return?
No. A fake review on their profile breaks the same Google rules and the same Australian law, and it hands them evidence against you. Google can act against your profile too. Put that energy into reporting the fake review properly and asking your real customers for honest reviews.
What should you do next?
Take your screenshots now, then report each fake review and post your reply today.
After that, get your real customers on the record. Send BuyReviews your customer list and we’ll help you get Google reviews that make a competitor’s fakes far less visible.
