Google Files Lawsuits to Curb Deceptive Review Scams

**Protecting Small Businesses: Taking Legal Action Against Fake Reviews and Listings**

**Introduction**

The internet and free tools provided by Google, such as Google Search, Maps, and YouTube, have become essential for small businesses looking to establish an online presence and connect with their customers. Unfortunately, scammers have taken advantage of these platforms by creating fake reviews and listings in order to deceive customers and harm businesses. In an effort to stop these malicious schemes, we are filing a consumer protection lawsuit against the bad actors responsible.

**Targeting Deceptive Practices**

Our lawsuit specifically targets an individual or group who engaged in a coordinated campaign to deceive consumers and business owners by fraudulently manipulating our services for small businesses. Through their actions, they created over 350 fake Business Profiles and attempted to bolster them with more than 14,000 fake reviews. Additionally, they tried to profit by selling information regarding consumers who had been deceived by these false claims. While we have successfully detected and removed this deceptive content, we are taking proactive legal action to prevent this bad actor from scamming other platforms and to safeguard our users.

**The Impact on Consumer Trust**

Consumers rely on Google to provide them with reliable and authoritative information. However, when they base their purchasing decisions on fake reviews, this trust is compromised. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers reported wasting an average of $125 each year due to inaccurate reviews. This real-world impact reinforces the need for action against these deceptive practices.

**Staying Ahead of Scammers**

At Google, we are committed to staying ahead of scammers and protecting small businesses. We have implemented a rigorous system of 24/7 monitoring to identify and remove fraudulent content from our products. This system incorporates a combination of human review and technological advancements. In 2022 alone, we successfully prevented further abuse and protected over 185,000 businesses by detecting suspicious activity. Additionally, we blocked 20 million attempts to create fake Business Profiles during the same year. We continue to invest in new technologies and processes to ensure that the information on our platforms remains helpful and reliable.

**Collaboration with Regulators**

The FTC and other regulatory bodies have made tackling fake reviews and misleading endorsements a priority. We are actively sharing our insights with these organizations in order to combat this issue on a global scale. By prioritizing trust and safety, both for businesses and consumers, we are engaging in proactive litigation and investing in advanced technologies to maintain reliable information across all our platforms.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, we are taking significant steps to protect small businesses from the detrimental impact of fake reviews and listings. By filing a consumer protection lawsuit against the bad actors responsible for these deceptive practices, we aim to safeguard the trust of our users and prevent financial losses for consumers. Through our continuous efforts to stay ahead of scammers and our collaboration with regulatory bodies, we are committed to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the information provided on our platforms.