Online review

Fake or malicious online reviews: What can I do?

What can I do about fake or misleading reviews about my business?

Online review

If you've received fake or misleading reviews about your business, there are some steps you can take to remove the incorrect review and help prevent it from happening again.

1. Correct the record   

  • You can respond privately and give the reviewer an opportunity to remove the review. This may allow you to resolve the matter.  

  • You can respond publicly in a professional, considered way that allows others to understand how the review came about, whether it is disputed, and how your business responds to customer feedback.  

 

2. Request to remove

If posts continue, you can request the removal of the post by providing evidence to the platform that the posts are fake and misleading and breach their polices. 

  • Check the website's review policy or guidelines and if you think that the review breaches these, or breaches the agreement that you have with the platform, request the post is removed. 

  • Provide as many factual details as possible to demonstrate that the review is inaccurate and inconsistent with your business’ service, product or location. 

  • If you think that the review was written by a competitor, give as many details as possible to the review platform so they can check IP addresses and determine if it might have come from them. 

 

3. Report the breach

If you have approached a platform and they haven’t responded to your request, you can report the breach to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).  

NOTE: If the reviews are threatening or harassing, contact the Police.