What Google removes
- Spam and fake engagement, including reviews from people who were never customers.
- Conflicts of interest, like reviews from competitors or former employees.
- Off-topic reviews, such as complaints about a news story.
- Harassment, hate speech and personal information.
How to report one
- Open the review from your Business Profile.
- Choose Report review and pick the policy it breaks.
- Check its status in Google's review management tool.
- If it stays up, appeal once from the same tool with whatever evidence you have, such as no record of the customer.
While you wait
Reply publicly and calmly, because future customers read the reply. If a wave of fake reviews arrives at once, report each one and keep a note of the dates.
Questions
Can I delete a bad Google review?
No. Only Google can remove it, and only for a policy violation.
How long does Google take to review a report?
Often a few days. Some take longer.
Can I take legal action over a fake review?
That's a question for a lawyer.