SA business asked to pay $US200 to remove fake one-star Google reviews

The owner of a South Australian business says she has been targeted in an online scam requesting payment for the removal of fake negative Google reviews.

Theresa Ferretti, the owner of ISPS Innovations in Lonsdale, a kitchen manufacturer and restoration business, told ABC Radio Adelaide she noticed the fake reviews when one mentioned a product the business does not sell.

“I noticed the first review that went up and it was talking about tiles and we don’t sell tiles,” she said.

“I started looking at these reviews as they were popping up and they just made no sense so I reported them.”

ISPS Innovations started being inundated with fake reviews after refusing to pay $200 US. 

Ms Ferretti said the situation took another sinister turn when she received a call from an unknown number.

“They were trying to sell me Google ad work and remove reviews and I said ‘I’m not interested’,” she said.

“That person was upset and said ‘I’ll show you’.

“Within a matter of hours I started getting all these one-star reviews posted up.”

The business owner said she and her husband, Daniel, found a number for the fake reviewer through their account.

ISPS Innovations was shocked when they started receiving fake one-star reviews about products they don’t sell. (Unsplash: Mitchell Luo)

“I spoke with him and I was quite annoyed … he asked me for money and he’ll put those reviews into five-star reviews,” she said.

“I said absolutely not. That’s not how our business works.

“That’s when Daniel rang, and he [the man posting the reviews] was asking for money — $US200.”

Ms Ferretti said she contacted SA Police, but was told to report it online as a cyber crime, which she said she was in the process of doing. 

“It’s horrible, he just needs to be shut down,” she said.

A spokesperson from Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said those impacted by scams should “raise their concerns directly with the relevant platforms”. 

“Platforms should have in place policies and procedures to address misconduct in connection with reviews,” it said. 

“The National Anti-Scam Centre, which operates under the ACCC, urges people to report scammers threatening and demanding money to the relevant law enforcement agency and to Scamwatch before handing over any money or information. 

“If you are concerned for your safety, contact the police immediately.”

The ABC has contacted Google, SA Police and the Australian Federal Police for comment.