Fake reviews from a competitor or ex-employee
Google's policy calls this a conflict of interest: reviews from competitors, current or former employees, people with a contractual relationship, or family are not allowed.
What Revunda can do
Nobody outside Google can remove a review, and we do not try. Google profile audit (€19 (launch price, €49 from 1 Dec 2026)): your latest reviews and your profile checked against Google's rules, with a ranked fix list. ProfileRescue (€29 (launch price, €49 from 1 Dec 2026)): if the profile itself is restricted or suspended, the likely causes for your case plus the appeal text and an evidence checklist, as a PDF.
Free AI visibility check Profile audit €49 €19 Appeal pack €49 €29 See a sample report Free risk check
Which rules apply
- Conflict of interest (Rating Manipulation): competitors, current or former employees, contractual partners, family.
- Fake engagement: content not based on a real experience, content from multiple accounts, and content posted on a competitor's place to undermine its reputation.
- Google also lists unusual volumes or patterns of reviews as rating manipulation.
Before you report
- Check the reviewer's other reviews on Maps: a profile that reviews you and praises a nearby rival is worth noting.
- Match dates against your records: no visit or booking, or a dispute with a former employee that week.
- Note what you know and how you know it. You will need one or two clear sentences per review if you appeal.
Report
- Report each review from your profile (Read reviews, Report) or in the Reviews Management Tool, choosing the conflict of interest or fake reason.
- If one account posts many such reviews, report the user profile in the Google Maps app.
- If Google answers "no policy violation", use the one-time appeal (how).
- If the reviews come with a demand for payment, it is extortion.
Do not reply in kind
Posting reviews on a competitor's profile breaks the same rules, and so does asking staff or family to review you. Both can get your own profile restricted (Business Profile restrictions).
FAQ
Is a review from a former employee allowed?
No. Google's policy lists current or former employment as a conflict of interest.
Can I report a reviewer's whole profile?
Yes. Google has a separate flow to report inappropriate user profiles in the Google Maps app.
Will Google remove a review if I prove it is a competitor?
Google decides each report against its policy. Clear, specific facts in the report or appeal give it something to check.
Sources
- Google, Maps user contributed content policy: prohibited and restricted content
- Google, Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile
- Google, Reviews Management Tool
- Google, Report inappropriate user profiles
- Google, Business Profile restrictions for policy violations
Read on 24 Oct 2026. Google changes these pages; if something here disagrees with Google's current text, Google wins. Revunda is not affiliated with Google.
All ProfileRescue fix guides
Free tool: Free risk checker
Suspended: by cause: Suspended: the full guide · Keywords in the name · Address problems · Virtual office · Service-area business · Duplicate listings · Suspended after an edit · Phone number · Categories · What to write in the appeal
Other profile problems: Appeal rejected · Reviews disappeared · Video verification failed · Not showing on Maps · Disabled vs suspended · Verification pending · Not eligible · Owner access lost · Fake reviews warning · Reviews restricted · Google changed my info · Edit not approved · Account restricted · Moved location · Remove a Google review · Review report rejected · Review extortion · Marked permanently closed · Name change or new owner · Practitioner profiles
Suspended: by trade: Locksmith · Garage door company · Plumber · HVAC company · Electrician · Moving company · Water damage restoration company · Pest control company · Roofing company · Law firm or lawyer