A fake 1-star review can sit at the top of your Google Business Profile for weeks, and you can't delete it yourself. What you can do is report it, and Google will remove it if it breaks Google's rules.
The catch is that the reporting screen isn't the same everywhere. When we checked on 1 November 2026, Google Maps showed 9 reasons to choose from in Australia, 8 in the UK, and 7 in the US. Here's how to report a review wherever you are, which reason to pick, and what to do if Google says no.
Quick answer: Open the review in Google Maps or your Business Profile, select the three dots next to it, then select Report review and choose the reason that fits. Google only removes reviews that break its policies, not reviews you disagree with. If your report is rejected, you can appeal once through Google's Reviews Management Tool.
Which reviews Google will remove
Google removes reviews that break its content policy for Maps. The ones businesses run into most often are:
- Conflict of interest: reviews from current or former employees, or from competitors trying to hurt your rating.
- Fake engagement: reviews that aren't based on a real experience, paid reviews, or one person posting from several accounts.
- Harassment and hate speech: threats, personal attacks, or demeaning content about a person or group.
- Off-topic content: political rants, or complaints about something that has nothing to do with your business.
- Personal information: a staff member's private details, like a home address or phone number.
- Profanity and explicit content: crude language used to insult, or sexual content.
A review that's harsh but genuine usually stays. Google's own help page says not to report a review "just because you disagree with it or dislike it." For those, a calm public reply works better. See how to respond to negative Google reviews.
How to report a Google review
Anyone can report a review in Google Maps. As the business owner, you can also report it from your Business Profile, which links the report to your business.
From your Business Profile, according to Google's help page:
- Go to your Business Profile and select Read reviews.
- Next to the review, select Report.
- Choose a reason, then select Send report.
From Google Maps, on a computer or in the app, according to Google's Maps content policy help:
- Search for the business and open its reviews.
- Find the review, then select the three dots next to it.
- Select Report review, complete the form, and submit it.
Report each review once, and pick the reason that matches the problem. Reporting the same review again and again doesn't speed things up.
Report options in Australia, the UK, and the US
When you select Report review, Google shows a list of reasons. The list depends on where you are. This is what Google Maps showed in each country when we checked on 1 November 2026:
| Report reason | Australia | United Kingdom | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullying or harassment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Conflict of interest | Yes | No | No |
| Discrimination or hate speech | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fake or deceptive | No | Yes | No |
| Harmful | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Low-quality information | No | Yes | Yes |
| Not helpful | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Off topic | Yes | No | No |
| Personal information | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Profanity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Spam | Yes | No | No |
| Total options | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Every list also has a Report a legal issue link at the bottom, which we cover below.
Which reason to choose:
- Australia: the list is the most specific. Use Conflict of interest for a competitor or ex-employee, Off topic for someone who was never a customer, and Spam for fake accounts or ads.
- United Kingdom: use Fake or deceptive for fake activity and incentivised reviews. This option arrived after Google agreed with the UK's competition regulator in January 2025 to make reporting fake and incentivised reviews easier. Use Low-quality information for off-topic reviews, ads, and gibberish.
- United States: there's no separate fake or conflict of interest option on this list. Low-quality information covers off-topic reviews, ads, and gibberish, so it's usually the closest fit for a review from someone who was never a customer.
Google can change these lists at any time, so check what you see on screen and choose the closest match.
Track your report and appeal
Google says reviewing a report "typically takes several days." To see where it's up to, use Google's Reviews Management Tool. Each report shows one of three statuses:
- Decision pending: Google hasn't looked at it yet.
- Escalated: your appeal is being reviewed, and Google will email you the final decision.
- Report reviewed, no policy violation: Google decided to keep the review.
If Google keeps the review, you get one appeal. In the Reviews Management Tool, choose to check the status of a review you reported, select Appeal eligible reviews, pick up to 10 reviews, and submit the form. Explain clearly which policy the review breaks, and include any evidence, like proof the reviewer was never a customer.
If someone demands money to remove reviews
Some businesses get a sudden wave of 1-star reviews, followed by a message offering to remove them for a payment. This is a negative review extortion scam, and Google has a separate report form for it.
Google's advice is clear: "Do not engage with or pay the malicious individuals." Take screenshots of the messages, including the date, time, and sender's details, and send them with links to the reviews through the form.
Legal options by country
If a review is false and damaging and Google won't remove it under its policies, you can ask Google to remove it for legal reasons. Use the Report a legal issue link on the report screen, or Google's legal removal request page. Here's how the main options differ:
- Australia: a business with fewer than 10 employees can sue for defamation, but only if the review causes, or is likely to cause, serious harm to its reputation, according to O'Brien Solicitors. Larger companies generally can't.
- European Union: under the Digital Services Act, if Google doesn't remove a review you reported, you can appeal and then take the dispute to a certified out-of-court settlement body. In Germany, Business Profiles now show a notice when reviews are removed after defamation complaints, so customers can see it.
- United Kingdom: on top of the reporting changes, Google agreed to put warnings on UK businesses caught boosting their ratings with fake reviews, and to stop them receiving new reviews. Buying reviews to bury a bad one can backfire.
- United States: Section 230 generally protects Google from being held responsible for what users post, so legal claims usually target the reviewer. The FTC's rule on fake reviews also bans businesses from using threats to get negative reviews removed.
This isn't legal advice. Speak to a lawyer in your country before taking legal action.
What to do while you wait
- Get more genuine reviews: one bad review matters less among dozens of good ones. See how to get more Google reviews without breaking the rules.
- Hold off replying to extortion reviews: replying can alert the scammer. For genuine reviews, a short, calm reply shows future customers you listen.
- Show your Google reviews on your website: a review widget puts real customer feedback in front of visitors, so one bad review on Google isn't the whole story. See how to embed Google reviews on your website.
If reviews vanish from your profile without you reporting them, Google's spam filters may have removed them. See why your Google reviews disappeared.
How RepU helps
RepU's Google review widget is free forever, with no view limits, and displays your latest 30 reviews. New reviews appear automatically, so visitors always see what customers are saying now. RepU Pro adds AI replies in your voice and email review requests, so you can answer every review quickly and keep genuine reviews coming in.
Frequently asked questions
Can I delete a Google review myself?
No. Only the reviewer can delete their review. As the business owner, you can report it, and Google removes it if it breaks Google's policies.
How long does Google take to review a report?
Google says it typically takes several days. You can check the status in the Reviews Management Tool.
Why are the report options different in my country?
Google shows different lists in different countries. When we checked on 1 November 2026, Australia had 9 options, the UK 8, and the US 7. The UK list added Fake or deceptive after Google's 2025 agreement with the UK's competition regulator.
What if Google won't remove the review?
You can appeal once through the Reviews Management Tool. If the review is false and damaging, you can also make a legal removal request, or get legal advice in your country.
Can I report a review from a competitor or ex-employee?
Yes. Google's policy treats reviews from competitors and current or former employees as a conflict of interest. In Australia, choose Conflict of interest. Elsewhere, choose the closest option on your list and explain the connection in your appeal if needed.
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