Review Fraud

A Cautionary Note to Business Owners: When Review-Related Emails Deserve a Second Look

Online reviews play an important role in how customers discover and evaluate businesses. Because of this, many companies monitor reviews closely and respond quickly when negative feedback appears. However, that urgency can sometimes be exploited.

Recently, we observed a pattern that business owners should be aware of: unsolicited emails arriving shortly after a one-star review, requesting the recipient to log in to an unfamiliar “review platform” to view or manage the issue.

What We Noticed

The emails in question shared several common characteristics:
They appeared soon after a negative review was posted
They encouraged immediate action to “protect” the business’s reputation
They required logging into a platform the business had not knowingly signed up for
They offered limited clarity about where the review originated
In at least one case, third-party branding was used without authorization

Individually, any one of these elements might not raise concern. Taken together, they suggest a need for caution.

Why Timing and Transparency Matter

Legitimate review platforms are generally transparent. Businesses know when they have an account, where their reviews are published, and how to access them directly.

When an email:

arrives unexpectedly, references a review you cannot independently locate, or pushes you toward account creation or login before providing basic information, it is worth slowing down and verifying the source.

A Common Pressure Point for Businesses

Negative reviews naturally create stress, especially for small and local businesses. Emails that capitalize on that moment — emphasizing urgency or potential damage — can prompt rushed decisions.

In some cases, once access is granted, the interaction shifts away from addressing a specific review and toward offering paid services related to reputation or marketing. While these services may be legitimate in other contexts, the pathway that leads to them matters.

How to Protect Your Business

If you receive an email like this, consider the following steps:

Look up the review directly on platforms you already use (such as Google or Facebook)
Avoid clicking login links from unsolicited emails
Be cautious if branding appears that suggests an affiliation you don’t recognize
Confirm whether you have an existing relationship with the sender
Seek advice from a trusted marketing professional before taking action

Final Thoughts

Not every reputation-related email is problematic, and not every service in this space operates the same way. However, clarity, consent, and transparency should always come first.

When something feels unclear or rushed, taking a moment to verify can help prevent unnecessary complications — and ensure your focus remains on serving your customers, not navigating avoidable digital pitfalls.