Get the latest tech news
Small Businesses Face a New Threat: Pay Up or Be Flooded With Bad Reviews
Scammers are extorting small businesses worldwide by threatening to flood their Google Maps profiles with fake one-star reviews or demanding payment to remove reviews already posted, according to The New York Times. Fraudsters target service businesses dependent on online ratings -- movers, roofers,...
Fraudsters target service businesses dependent on online ratings -- movers, roofers, contractors -- demanding hundreds of dollars per incident. The Times story documents many cases, including of one Los Angeles contractor Natalia Piper, who paid $250 to multiple scammers after her rating plummeted from 5.0 to 3.6 stars.Industry watchdog Fake Review Watch documented over 150 affected businesses globally. Google removes most fraudulent content but offers no direct support channel for targeted businesses.
Or read this on Slashdot
