--- title: "How to reply to a review from a competitor posing as a customer" url: https://reviewnudge.app/replies/competitor-posing-as-customer/ published: 2026-09-29 updated: 2026-09-29 author: "Jack Stovell" author_profile: https://i.hilyt.it/jack publisher: "Adapt Progress Evolve Limited" summary: "Report it to Google if you have real grounds, since posting on a competitor's listing breaks its policy, and keep your public reply short and neutral without naming the rival." tone: negative language: en-GB --- # How to reply to a review from a competitor posing as a customer > Report it to Google if you have real grounds, since posting on a competitor's listing breaks its policy, and keep your public reply short and neutral without naming the rival. If you think a rival left a bad review, report it to Google and keep your public reply short, neutral and boring. Google bans posting on a competitor's listing to undermine it, and it bans content based on a conflict of interest, so this is reportable. But you need grounds, not a hunch, and you should never name the rival or accuse anyone in public. ## What to say - **Keep it neutral.** Say you can't find a record of the experience described and leave it there. You're writing for the next person reading, not for the reviewer. - **Stay short and polite.** Google's own tips say to keep replies short, polite and professional, and honestly that's the whole trick here. - **Invite contact.** You can ask the reviewer to get in touch by phone, email or in person, so you can look into what they describe. If they're a genuine customer, that gives them an easy way to come forward. - **Explain what you can check.** Something like "we can't match this to an order" is fine. It's a plain fact, and it doesn't point a finger. - **Reply in good time.** Don't sit on it for weeks stewing. Reply, report, and get on with your day. ## What not to say - **Don't name the competitor.** Even if the review names them first. It looks petty, and it can backfire on you. - **Don't accuse anyone.** "We think you work for our rival" is a public accusation, and you might be wrong. Save the evidence for the report. - **Don't retaliate.** Leaving a review on their listing is exactly the sort of thing Google bans, and now you're the one in the wrong. - **Don't attack the reviewer personally or share their private details.** Google's tips say so, and it makes you look worse than the review does. - **Don't offer deals or promotions in the reply.** Not to win them round, not to make it go away. ## Example replies ### Florist: review that sends people to a named rival *Fictional example.* A 1 star review says: "Flowers wilted in a day. Go to Petal & Stem on the high street instead, much better." The business has no matching order, and Petal & Stem is a nearby rival. > Hello, thanks for taking the time to write. We can't find an order that matches this review, so we can't say what happened with your flowers. If you'd like to get in touch by phone or email with your order details, we'd be glad to look into it properly. Priya ### Driving instructor: reviewer's name matches another local instructor *Fictional example.* A 1 star review says: "Unprofessional and overpriced." It comes from an account whose name matches another local driving instructor. The business has no record of this person as a pupil. > Thank you for your feedback. We have no record of a lesson booked under this name, so we're not able to comment on what you experienced. If you were a pupil, please contact us by phone or email and we'll be happy to talk it through. Daniel ## What to put in the report Report the review from your Business Profile, and if Google offers a reason, pick the conflict of interest one, or the one about content that isn't based on a real experience. Then keep your evidence: screenshots of the review, the reviewer's profile, and anything that links it to the rival, like a name match or a review praising a named competitor while trashing you. Details only someone in the trade would mention count too. Evaluation usually takes several days, and you can check the status in the Reviews Management Tool. If the report is rejected, you can submit a one-time appeal, so use it well. Only reviews that break Google's policies get removed, so a hunch on its own won't do it. ## Questions people ask ### Can I reply to the review and report it as well? Yes, and you should do both. Replying and reporting are separate things. The reply is for anyone reading your listing; the report is for Google. Just remember your reply shows publicly, so keep any suspicion about a rival out of it and in your evidence file. ### What counts as grounds for reporting? Concrete links, not a feeling. A reviewer's name matching a rival's owner or staff, details only someone in the trade would mention, or a review that praises a named competitor while trashing you all count. Screenshot everything, because Google says not to report just because you disagree with a review. ### Will Google definitely remove it? No. Google only removes reviews that break its policies, and it says it doesn't get involved in disputes between businesses and customers. Evaluation typically takes several days, and if the report is rejected you can submit a one-time appeal. ### Should I leave a review on their listing in return? No. Posting on a competitor's listing to undermine it is exactly what Google's policy bans, so you'd be doing the thing you're reporting. Report their review, reply neutrally, keep your evidence and leave their listing alone. ## Sources - [Google Maps: Prohibited and restricted content](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114) - [Google Business Profile Help: Report inappropriate reviews](https://support.google.com/business/answer/4596773) - [Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews (includes reply tips)](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122)