Report first, call second
Fake reviews can be reported, but a phone script cannot force a platform to remove one. In the U.S., an individual review is decided under the platform's own content policy and case process, while the FTC rule addresses broader deceptive review practices.
Start with the report option attached to the review, listing, or account. Call only after an official case page or verified support channel directs you to do so.
That order matters.
A support number copied from a blog, ad, or forum may be outdated. It may not reach the team that handles reviews. This guide covers U.S. federal rules and practical platform-reporting steps, not individual legal advice.
The FTC rule is useful context, not a removal order
The FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule Q&A says the rule took effect on October 21, 2024. It addresses deceptive and unfair conduct involving fake or false consumer reviews and testimonials.
The rule can matter if someone buys, sells, or creates fake reviews. The FTC's final-rule announcement also describes prohibitions involving fake reviews, insider reviews, and review suppression.
Thing is, the rule does not give an individual a private right of action. It cannot be used as a personal order requiring Google, Yelp, Amazon, or another site to delete a particular review.
| Situation | What controls the next step |
|---|---|
| A review may violate a site's rules | The platform's reporting and appeal process |
| Someone appears to be buying or selling fake reviews | Preserve factual evidence; the FTC rule may be relevant to enforcement |
| You want a guaranteed removal or payment | The FTC rule does not create that personal remedy |
| A BBB entry is a complaint | BBB's separate complaint process |
A harsh opinion or one-star rating is not automatically fake. Focus on a concrete mismatch instead.
Decide whether the review is actually reportable
Don't call a review fake simply because it hurts a business. A real customer can have a bad experience, write briefly, or remember details differently.
A stronger report points to something specific and checkable, such as:
- The review identifies a different business location, product, or service.
- It describes an event that records show could not have happened as written.
- Distinctive wording appears across several unrelated listings, with links or screenshots showing the pattern.
- You have documented evidence of an undisclosed connection, payment, or incentive.
Not finding a matching order or booking can be useful context. It is not proof by itself, since the review may contain too little information to match it reliably.
To be honest, reporting every negative post at once can make the case less clear. Report the reviews for which you can state a precise policy concern without guessing about the writer's identity or motive.
Preserve a small evidence file
Save the original review before it changes or disappears. Pages can move quickly.
| Save this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Full review URL and screenshots | Identifies the exact content you reported |
| Screen name, date, and review text | Lets support locate the post |
| A short timeline | Shows when you noticed, reported, and followed up |
| Redacted order, appointment, or service records | Supports a factual mismatch without exposing private data |
| Links to duplicate wording or related reports | Gives the platform a way to verify a pattern |
| Case or ticket number | Keeps later calls tied to the original report |
Use the platform's secure evidence channel when one is offered. Redact other customers' personal information first.
Do not claim an IP-address match based on a profile location, a shared city, or a hunch. Also avoid publishing invoices, customer names, or private messages in a public reply.
Google Business Profile: report, track, then appeal
If you manage the affected Business Profile, use Google's official review-reporting guidance rather than searching for a general removal phone number.
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Open the review-reporting flow and select the review or reviews that appear to violate policy. Google says the tool can allow you to select up to 10 reviews.
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Choose the closest policy category. Write down the reason you selected and the exact review text.
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Save the status and any case reference. Google may show that a decision is pending or that it found no policy violation.
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If an appeal option is available after an unfavorable decision, use Google's appeal process. Google says appeals and decisions can take up to five business days.
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Prepare evidence before opening the evidence form. Google's Business Profile appeal guidance says supporting evidence must be submitted within 60 minutes after the form is opened.
That window is short. Have screenshots, links, and redacted records ready beforehand.
A consumer who merely spots a suspicious Google review should use the reporting option available on that review. Do not try to use a business-owner appeal tool for a profile you do not manage.
Yelp, Amazon, and BBB need different paths
Yelp, Amazon, and BBB do not share a review-removal system. Keep each report tied to the affected service.
For Yelp, use the current report or support path displayed on the relevant business or review page. State the review date, screen name, and factual policy concern. A user's badges, account age, or lack of activity may look suspicious, but those details alone do not prove a review is fake.
For Amazon, first identify whether the issue concerns a product review, seller feedback, or an order. These are different problems. Use the current report or support option connected to the listing or order, and keep order details inside secure account support rather than posting them publicly.
For BBB, confirm whether the entry is a review or a complaint. A complaint follows its own process. BBB says it forwards submitted complaint information to the business within two business days and notifies the consumer when it receives a response, or when no response arrives, under its complaint-handling process.
A BBB complaint response is not a request to remove a Google, Yelp, or Amazon review.
Use this phone script only through an official support route
An official support call can help confirm a case number or ask what evidence the platform will accept. It should not be a demand for immediate removal.
"Hello, my name is [name], and I am calling about case [case number] for [review URL or listing]. I reported the review on [date] under [policy category]. My factual reason is [brief reason]. I have a screenshot and [redacted record or duplicate-review link] ready to submit through the case channel. Could you confirm the case status, what evidence you can accept, and the next step?"
If you cannot find a matching record, say that plainly: "I cannot locate a matching record from the details in the review." Do not replace it with "This person was never a customer."
Take notes during the call. Record the date, time, representative's name, and ticket number. If you want to record, ask for consent first; written notes are often enough.
Keep review disputes separate from card disputes
A review report is not a chargeback.
Do not file a card billing dispute merely because a platform leaves a review online. A card dispute concerns a payment transaction, not a site's decision about user-generated content.
If you paid a company for review-related services and believe the service itself was deceptive or unauthorized, that is a separate merchant transaction. Keep the invoice, service terms, advertising, and messages with the seller. Those records are different from evidence used to report a review.
A public reply can also be separate from the report. Keep it short and avoid revealing anyone's order, account, or contact details. For example: "We cannot identify this experience from the details provided. Please contact us through [channel] so we can look into it."
If you are deciding whether to buy from a business
Fake positive reviews can distort a purchase decision too. One suspicious review does not prove a listing is unsafe, but it is a reason to look beyond the star average.
Read recent reviews in context. Compare them with the product description, seller terms, return policy, and information from more than one source.
Turns out, a seller's response to criticism can be useful context, though it is not proof that a review is true or false. If an item arrives and differs from the listing, use the marketplace's order-help process or the merchant's return process separately from any review report.
Keep a simple case timeline
Save the date you filed, the policy category, the evidence submitted, and every ticket number. Follow the platform's stated appeal or follow-up path, especially if it asks for more information.
Do not send repeated reports with no new facts. Instead, add clear evidence through the existing case when the platform allows it.
Start with the review URL, file the report under the closest policy reason, and save the case number. If a call is needed, use only the official support route connected to that report.