Online reviews play a major role in how customers make decisions today. Whether someone is searching for a local service, a restaurant, a healthcare provider, or an e-commerce brand, reviews often act like modern-day word-of-mouth.
For many businesses, the impact of reviews isn’t limited to one platform either. Google, Trustpilot, Yelp, Facebook, industry directories, and even forums can all influence whether someone trusts your brand or moves on to a competitor.
This is exactly why Online Reputation Management (ORM) is now essential. When fake reviews appear, it can feel frustrating and unfair, but with the right approach and support from online reputation management services, businesses can respond professionally, protect their brand image, and restore trust.
In this guide, we’ll explain why fake reviews hurt your business, what damage they can cause, and how to handle them the right way.
What Are Fake Reviews?
A fake review is any review that is not posted by a real customer or doesn’t reflect a genuine experience with your business. Fake reviews can be:
- Fake negative reviews posted by competitors, trolls, or people who have never used your services
- Fake positive reviews purchased or generated to artificially boost a star rating
- Spam reviews posted by bots
- Misleading reviews that include false claims, wrong service information, or unrelated complaints
Fake reviews can appear on many platforms, including:
- Google Business Profile
- Trustpilot
- Yelp
- Industry listing sites
Because reviews influence trust, rankings, and enquiries, fake reviews can be harmful even if they are obviously untrue.
Why Fake Reviews Hurt Your Business
1. They Damage Trust Instantly
Trust is the foundation of every sale. For most customers, especially first-time buyers, reviews act as social proof.
If fake reviews appear, whether they’re overly negative or suspiciously perfect, they can raise doubts like:
- “Are they reliable?”
- “Is this business real?”
- “Can I trust their service?”
This is why online reputation management is not only relevant for UK-based brands but also for US businesses that serve international customers or run online services.
2. Fake Negative Reviews Can Reduce Enquiries and Sales
Even a single one-star review can make potential customers hesitate. If multiple fake negative reviews show up, they can significantly reduce leads and conversion rates.
This is especially damaging for businesses that rely on:
- local services and home improvement enquiries
- healthcare and dental bookings
- professional services (legal, finance, consultancy)
- e-commerce trust and repeat purchases
- subscription services
When a customer sees negative reviews, they may not take the risk, even if the complaints aren’t real.
3. They Can Affect Your Google Visibility
Reviews play a role in online visibility, especially for location-based search results.
Google considers factors like:
- average star rating
- number of reviews
- review frequency and freshness
- how businesses respond to reviews
If fake reviews bring your rating down, it can reduce your chances of appearing in competitive search results, meaning fewer clicks and fewer leads.
This is where online reputation management services often work alongside local SEO strategies to protect your business presence and improve performance.
4. Fake Positive Reviews Can Backfire (And Look Suspicious)
Some businesses try to counter negative reviews by buying fake five-star reviews. While it might feel like a quick fix, it can backfire badly.
Customers can often spot patterns such as:
- multiple reviews posted in one day
- generic comments like “Great service” with no context
- repeated phrases or unnatural wording
- reviewers with empty profiles
If customers feel your reviews aren’t genuine, it can damage your credibility even more than negative feedback. In serious cases, review platforms may remove them or restrict your listing.
This is why trusted reputation management services focus on ethical growth and genuine review building rather than shortcuts.
5. Fake Reviews Can Lead to Platform Penalties
Major platforms have strict rules against fake, misleading, or spam reviews. If detected, fake review activity can cause:
- removal of reviews
- suspended review features
- restricted listings
- reduced visibility
- long-term trust damage
For brands managing reviews across multiple locations, handling this manually becomes time-consuming. This is why many businesses work with online reputation management companies that specialise in identifying suspicious reviews and taking the right action quickly.
6. They Create Unnecessary Stress and Waste Time
Dealing with fake reviews often pulls business owners and teams away from important tasks like sales, operations, and customer service.
Instead of focusing on growth, you’re stuck:
- explaining things to confused customers
- trying to report reviews
- responding to multiple platforms
- managing reputational damage
Using professional online reputation management companies helps streamline the process and protect your brand with a clear response strategy.
Common Signs of Fake Reviews
Not every negative review is fake, but here are the most common warning signs:
- reviewer has no profile photo or review history
- review is extremely vague or generic
- no mention of what service or product they used
- incorrect business details in the review
- multiple reviews posted in a short time
- abusive or threatening language
- review mentions services you don’t offer
If you suspect a fake review, it’s important to assess it properly and respond carefully.
How to Handle Fake Reviews the Right Way
1. Stay Calm and Avoid Emotional Responses
Fake reviews can feel personal, especially if they accuse your business of poor service. But replying emotionally can harm your brand.
Customers don’t just read reviews, they read the responses too.
A calm reply shows that your business is professional, confident, and customer-focused.
2. Respond Publicly in a Professional Way
Even if a review is fake, posting a clear response helps protect your reputation.
Example response:
“Hello, thank you for your feedback. We’re unable to find a record of your experience in our system. Please contact our team directly with your booking or order details so we can investigate and resolve this properly.”
This response:
- shows you take feedback seriously
- signals to other customers that the review may not be genuine
- keeps your brand tone polite and professional
This is a best practice used in many online reputation management services plans because it prevents arguments and builds confidence with real customers.
3. Report the Review on the Platform
Most platforms allow you to report fake reviews, particularly if they are spam, abusive, or misleading.
On Google Business Profile, you can:
- find the review
- click the three dots
- select “Report review”
- choose the best reason (spam, off-topic, fake content, etc.)
If the review breaches platform guidelines, it may be removed.
However, removal isn’t always guaranteed, which is why expert online reputation management strategies also focus on strengthening your overall review profile and trust signals.
4. Gather More Genuine Customer Reviews
The best long-term defence against fake reviews is to consistently collect genuine reviews from real customers.
If your business has:
- 15 reviews, 2 fake negatives can cause major damage
- 250 reviews, fake reviews have far less impact
Smart ways to increase real reviews:
- send an email review request after purchase
- text customers a direct review link
- add a QR code on invoices and packaging
- politely ask customers immediately after delivery
This is one of the most effective actions recommended by reputation management services because it strengthens trust naturally over time.
5. Monitor Reviews Weekly (Not Just When Things Go Wrong)
Many businesses only pay attention to reviews when they see a problem. Instead, make review monitoring a regular habit.
A simple weekly check includes:
- Google Business Profile
- Trustpilot / Yelp
- Facebook recommendations
- industry directories
- branded search results
Professional online reputation management companies often provide monitoring support so your team doesn’t miss important changes.
6. Use SEO to Reduce the Impact of Negative Content
If fake reviews or negative results begin appearing in search results, content and SEO can help push positive pages higher.
This may include:
- creating helpful blog content
- publishing case studies and testimonials
- building strong service pages
- improving Google Business Profile content
- earning PR mentions and trusted backlinks
When done correctly, SEO becomes a powerful long-term solution for brand protection, a common part of online reputation management strategies.
Protecting Your Brand the Right Way
Fake reviews are one of the biggest reputation threats to businesses today, and they can affect both small brands and established companies. They can reduce trust, damage rankings, and lead to lost sales, even when they are clearly untrue.
The best solution is to act professionally, report fake content, build more genuine customer reviews, and invest in a long-term trust strategy.
If you want expert help, working with trusted online reputation management companies in UK can make the process smoother and more effective, even if your business is based in the UK.