"Hi all, happy to report that all the fake 1-star reviews have been removed, and the scammer has not been paid. Seems like the new "extortion report" form did the trick, so thanks for the pointer there. Despite online advice to the contrary, I think it's best not to reply to the fake reviews until you've gone through the removal process."
"The "extortion reporting tool" requires you to submit evidence of extortion (emails, DMs). This is tricky because it means you need to engage with the attacker, to the point where he clearly asks for money in exchange for removal of the reviews. That will be your "smoking gun" to submit to Google, but also means that the attacker has your details, and to him you appeared willing to pay."
Google added a form to report negative review extortion on Business Profiles and local listings. Local SEOs report that the form is effective in removing fake 1-star reviews without paying scammers. A reported case showed all fake reviews removed after submission of the extortion report. Advice includes avoiding replying to fake reviews until the removal process is complete to avoid signaling concern to the attacker. The extortion form requires evidence such as emails or direct messages, which may force engagement with the attacker to obtain a clear demand for money. Attackers often rush payment because regular spam reports may resolve quickly.
Read at Search Engine Roundtable
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