What can I do about a review from someone who was never a customer?
Is a review from a non-customer allowed to stay?
It depends on the content. Google’s help pages say you can report any review. They also say only reviews that violate Google policies are eligible for removal.
Google also says reviews must reflect a genuine experience. A review from a person who never used your business may break this rule. Google must still agree that it does.
What should I do first?
Check your own records before you act. A person may have used your business under a different name. A friend or a family member may have booked the service.
- Search your customer list, your invoices, and your booking system for the name.
- Search for the email address and the phone number, if you have them.
- Ask your staff if they remember the person.
- Save notes on what you checked and what you found.
If you find the person, treat the review as a normal complaint. Reply to it and try to solve the problem.
How do I report the review to Google?
Use the steps from Google’s help pages. You must have a verified Business Profile.
- Go to your Business Profile.
- Select Read reviews.
- Find the review and select Report.
- Select the reason that fits the review.
- Select Send report.
You can also use the Reviews Management Tool. You can check the status of your report there. The possible statuses include Decision pending and Report reviewed, no policy violation.
Google says review evaluation typically takes several days. Do not report the same review many times. Wait for the result.
What if Google says the review does not break its policies?
You can submit a one-time appeal. Use the Reviews Management Tool. Select your business, then select the option to check the status of a reviewed report. Then select Appeal eligible reviews.
Google sends you an email with the result. If the review follows Google’s policies, it stays live. Accept this outcome and move on to a public reply.
Should I reply to the review in public?
Yes, in most cases. Your reply is public. Future customers read it. Google’s tips say to keep replies short, polite, and professional.
Write a reply like this:
- Say that you cannot find a record of the person as a customer.
- Say that you want to look into the matter.
- Ask the person to contact you by phone or email.
- Do not attack the person. Do not share private information.
Google notifies the reviewer when you reply. The reviewer can still change the review after reading your reply.
Do not accuse the person of lying. You cannot be sure. A calm reply shows readers that you handle problems in a fair way.
What must I never do?
Do not offer a discount, a gift, or any reward to have the review removed or changed. Google’s help pages say that incentives to change reviews or remove negative reviews are fake and misleading content. They say this is strictly prohibited. Your own profile can suffer.
Do not post fake positive reviews to push the bad review down. Do not ask friends to report the review for you. Use the normal tools.
Can I contact the reviewer by email?
Be careful. Canada’s anti-spam law (CASL) requires consent before you send a commercial electronic message. If the person is not a customer, you may not have consent. If you are not sure, do not send an email. Reply in public instead. This is general information and not legal advice.
What if the review is part of a larger problem?
Watch for a pattern. Many reviews from unknown people in a short time can point to a campaign against your business. Google’s help pages say that a profile targeted by an extortion scam involving negative reviews has a separate way to report the incident. Use that route if a person demands payment to remove reviews.
Save screenshots and dates of each review. This record helps if you need to appeal or contact Google support.
Questions people also ask
Will Google remove the review if I say the person was never a customer?
Not always. Google removes only reviews that violate its content policies. A review that follows the policies stays live, even if you disagree with it.
Can I delete the review myself?
No. Only Google can remove a review. You can report it, appeal once, and reply in public.
Does one bad review hurt my business?
Google's help pages say negative reviews are not always a sign of poor service. They say a mix of positive and negative reviews often feels more trustworthy. A calm public reply helps.
Where do I check the status of my report?
Use the Reviews Management Tool. It shows the status, such as Decision pending or Report reviewed, no policy violation.
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