Fake review searches surge as SMEs face new threat

A sharp rise in global searches for “fake business reviews” — up 1,026% year-on-year — has prompted warnings that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly exposed to fabricated ratings, malicious feedback, and AI-generated review manipulation.

New analysis from AnyBusiness.com.au, based on Google Search data, recorded more than 68,000 searches for the term in the past month alone. The figure underscores growing anxiety among consumers and business owners about the authenticity of online ratings and the speed at which reputations can be damaged.

“Reviews drive everything — trust, clicks, bookings, footfall, conversions,” said Mary Tamvakologos, Managing Director at AnyBusiness.com.au. “So when fake reviews spread, SMEs feel the hit immediately. The good news is: there are proactive ways to stay ahead of it.”

Tamvakologos said the surge in searches signals that review manipulation is no longer a marginal concern but a widespread operational risk. Her advice for SMEs centres on five core actions: tighter monitoring, faster responses, stronger review generation, multi-platform verification, and evidence-based removal requests.

Five ways to guard against fake reviews —

1. Tighten monitoring. Fake reviews tend to follow identifiable patterns, such as sudden spikes, repetitive phrasing, or multiple ratings appearing within minutes. Businesses should check review platforms weekly, flag anomalies early, and use automated alerts where possible. Early detection, she said, “prevents long-term reputation damage.”
   
2. Respond quickly and professionally. A composed, factual reply can neutralise doubt, even when a false review remains online. Tamvakologos recommends acknowledging the comment, clarifying the facts, and inviting the individual to continue the discussion offline. “Transparency is something fake reviewers cannot match,” she added.
   
3. Strengthen real review generation. Encouraging genuine customer feedback — via email follow-ups, QR codes at point of sale, or booking confirmations — can dilute the influence of inauthentic reviews. “The best defence is volume,” Tamvakologos said.
   
4. Verify across multiple platforms. Fake reviews often target a single site at a time. Distributing customer engagement across Google, Trustpilot, Yelp, Facebook, and sector-specific platforms builds resilience and consistency.
   
5. Document everything. When contesting fraudulent reviews, businesses should compile booking records, payment data, customer logs, and communications history. “The more detailed your evidence, the faster platforms will act,” Tamvakologos said.

Consumer decisions are increasingly made in seconds, and search algorithms favour high-volume, high-rating listings. As AI tools make generating plausible fake content easier, Tamvakologos said SMEs can no longer afford to treat review manipulation as a future problem.

“SMEs often think fake reviews are something they ‘deal with later’,” she said. “But in 2025, one damaging review can go viral before you’ve even seen it. Reputation is now a real-time asset — and protecting it proactively is just as important as acquiring new customers.”