Fake reviews can send you to a product nobody actually liked. A one-star pile-on can scare you off a shop that never earned it. Either way, you lose time.
Should you report the ones that look planted?
You can flag a review on Amazon, Google, or Yelp, and you can tell the U.S. Federal Trade Commission if a company is buying fake feedback. You can't take the review down yourself. Thing is, the host still decides.
That flag is a request.
What rule actually applies
The review rules on Amazon, Google, and Yelp come from the companies themselves. They're company policy, not a federal deletion order.
The FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule took effect on October 21, 2024 and targets businesses, not shoppers hunting a delete button. You don't get that button. It bars fake or false consumer reviews and testimonials.
Paid review brokers who get paid to supply fake reviews generally fall under the ban on selling a consumer review, and the Commission voted 5-0 to approve the final rule.
The FTC's Q&A says the rule doesn't provide a private right of action. That path stays with the FTC.
What will not take a review down
Dislike isn't fraud.
A customer who bought the blender, hated the noise, and dashed off a messy write-up still left a real review. Real visits count even when the write-up is messy. Platforms won't referee a fight over cold soup or a late box. If the writer had a real encounter, calling it fake may go nowhere.
How to flag a review on Amazon, Google, or Yelp
Open the product or place page first. Use this order once you're on that page:
- Find the review and copy its URL.
- Use Report, Flag, or the similar control on that review.
- Choose the reason that matches what you see, such as fake or inauthentic content, spam, or a conflict of interest.
- Stick to facts you can show, like matching wording across accounts or a brand-new profile dropping a burst of five-star copy.
- Save a dated screenshot and keep the URL with it.
Keep the note short.
How to file a fake review complaint with the FTC
The complaint that belongs at the FTC is about the business manufacturing feedback, not one lonely star you happen to hate. Turns out you need a pattern, not a vibe. Send a report when you can show a company buying reviews or posting them from the inside.
Hiring a broker counts too.
The Federal Register rule text is the legal source for what the Commission banned. One filing doesn't guarantee a case, but it still puts the pattern on record. Include the business name, site, and where the reviews appeared. Dates, URLs, and screenshots belong in the same packet. Add why the posts look fabricated, including any ad or pitch that offered money for reviews.
Evidence worth keeping
| Save this | Why it helps | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Review URL and time | Staff can open the exact post | That the writer never used the product |
| Copied wording side by side | Shows a batch, not one angry customer | Who paid for the batch |
| A pay-per-review pitch | Ties a business or broker to fake feedback | That every nearby rating is fake |
Labeled files in a small set are easier to follow than a pile of screenshots.
If you manage a Google Business Profile
Google's Business Profile appeal help says you must submit supporting evidence within 60 minutes of opening the form or it won't be attached to your appeal. Appeal reviews and decisions can take up to 5 business days. Owner tools aren't the same as a shopper flag.
Reports that stall
People flag every one-star they hate. That burns the form on opinions.
The report that gets read is dull, to be honest: a calm note that the reviewer couldn't have had the experience they described, with URLs, dates, and copied phrases, because the store was closed that day or the product wasn't even listed yet, the photos look lifted, the profile posted twelve glowing write-ups in an hour, that kind of pile-up you only see when you slow down and compare a few accounts instead of reacting to the first insult.
If it stays up, don't resubmit the same flag. Pick one review that looks fabricated, save the URL with a screenshot, and flag it on Amazon, Google, or Yelp. If a business is buying or posting fakes, send that same packet to the FTC.