Customer Left a Fake Google Review? How to Ask for Removal (and Send a Concerns Notice)

You open Google one morning and there it is. One star. A name you don’t recognise, or worse, a name you do. A story about your business that never happened. And it’s sitting at the top of your reviews for every potential customer to read.

Here’s the thing nobody tells you: you don’t have to just sit there and take it. Australian law gives you real tools.

Why you need to move fast

Every day that review stays up, it can cost you customers.

Step one: flag it with Google (but don’t stop there)

Use the “Report review” option in your Google Business Profile. Google’s policies prohibit reviews from people who never used the business, and reviews that are fake or written by competitors. Be specific in your report: say why it’s fake and attach evidence if you have it.

The honest truth: Google removes only a fraction of flagged reviews, and it can take weeks. That’s why flagging alone is not enough.

Step two: the Defamation Concerns Notice

Under the Defamation Act 2005 (as amended in 2021 across most states and territories), a Concerns Notice is now a mandatory first step before anyone can sue for defamation. It’s a formal written notice that tells the reviewer exactly which statements are defamatory, why they’re false, and what you want done.

Why send one? The Concerns Notice makes the consequences clear: a defamation claim, damages, and legal costs. It puts your position on the record.

A proper Concerns Notice must:

• Identify the exact words that are defamatory (screenshots help)
• Explain the defamatory meanings (imputations) they carry
• Set out the harm to your business and reputation
• Demand removal, and where appropriate a retraction or apology
• Give a clear deadline, typically 14 to 28 days

What if the review is anonymous?

You can still act. Australian courts have ordered Google to hand over the identity of anonymous reviewers (the Kabbabe v Google case is the well-known example). In many cases you’ll recognise who it is from the details, and a Concerns Notice can be sent to that person.

What about the “serious harm” test?

Since 2021, you need to show the publication caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm. For businesses with fewer than 10 employees, that means serious financial loss. Lost bookings, cancelled quotes and a measurable drop in enquiries all count. Start keeping a record today.

Don’t respond publicly in anger

A calm, factual public reply (“We have no record of this customer and have raised this with Google”) is fine. A furious reply is not. Keep the fight in the formal letter where it belongs.

Claim Done drafts your Defamation Concerns Notice for $49. Done in about 5 minutes. You approve it before it is sent.