Short answer: Google handles reviews one Business Profile at a time. To deal with fake reviews across several locations, check each review against Google's policies, report it from the profile it sits on, and appeal each rejected review once with evidence. Keep one evidence log per location so a pattern across locations is easy to show.
Why do fake reviews across several locations need a different routine?
A single business sees a fake review now and then. A brand with ten or fifty locations sees them spread across profiles, often from the same accounts or in the same week. Each location has its own Business Profile, so each review has to be reported where it was posted. The work is the same; the volume and the pattern are what change.
Step 1: Check each review against Google's policy
Google's help page is clear that “only those that violate Google policies are eligible for removal” (Business Profile Help). A one-star review from a real customer stays up even if it is unfair. Reviews that can qualify include fake engagement, conflict of interest (competitors, current or former staff), off-topic content, harassment and private information. Google's policy page says “Fake engagement is not allowed and will be removed.” (Maps user-generated content policy)
Signs that point to a coordinated pattern across locations:
- The same reviewer name or profile photo on several of your locations.
- Several negative reviews on different locations within a few days.
- Near-identical wording across locations.
- Reviews that describe a visit to a location that was closed at that time.
Step 2: Report each review on the profile it was posted on
Open the Reviews Management Tool. Google's steps include “Select your business.” (Business Profile Help), so each location is handled separately. Then report the review for removal and pick the policy reason that fits.
For a multi-location brand this means:
- One report per review, from that location's profile.
- The same policy reason for the same pattern, so the cases read consistently.
- A note in your log of the date, location, reviewer and reason.
Google says “Review evaluation typically takes several days.” (Business Profile Help) For the screens and report reasons step by step, see the guide on how to remove a Google review.
Step 3: Appeal each rejected review once
If Google decides a review stays, you can “submit a one-time appeal” (Business Profile Help). Treat it as one chance per rejected review: name the policy, describe the pattern across your locations, and attach what you have, such as booking records that show no visit, the matching reviewer accounts, or the dates the reviews landed. Google's decision on the appeal is final.
Step 4: Use the right channel for extortion
If someone threatens more bad reviews unless you pay, Google's guidance is “Do not engage with or pay the malicious individuals.” and it offers a merchant extortion report form (Report negative review extortion scams). Report the reviews themselves as well.
Step 5: Keep one evidence log per location
A shared spreadsheet with one tab per location keeps the pattern visible: review link, date, star rating, reviewer, policy reason, report date, decision, appeal date, appeal decision. When the same account shows up on a second location, the log already holds the first case.
Step 6: Reply where the review stays up
Some reviews will stay. A short, calm public reply on each location shows other customers how you handle it. Do not accuse the reviewer of being fake in the reply; state the facts and invite them to contact the location. For wording that works, see how to respond to Google reviews.
Google quotes checked on 19 October 2026.
Where ReviewTactic fits
ReviewTactic's free removal scan checks a location's negative Google reviews against Google's content policies and flags which ones could qualify for a removal request. It is free and needs no signup; run it once per location.
For the reviews worth pursuing, ReviewTactic can file the case for you at $99 per review that Google removes, and nothing if it stays up. Google makes every decision, and no one can promise a removal.
For the full single-location process, see the guide on how to remove a Google review. For spotting fakes, see the fake Google reviews guide.