LöscheuleA bad review appears, and shortly afterwards a message arrives: it will disappear again if there is a discount, a refund or something for free. This is not an isolated case, and Google has a name for it.
Why this is a violation
Google’s policies prohibit giving or requesting reviews in exchange for something. This works both ways: a business may not buy good reviews, and nobody may use a bad one as leverage.
The relevant category is Rating Manipulation. The review is not meant to reflect an experience, but to achieve something, and that is exactly what sets it apart from a genuine bad review.
What to save before you do anything else
Save the message before you reply. A screenshot with the date, sender and the full conversation. Messages can be deleted, and without them it is one person’s word against another’s.
Do not reply to the offer, not even to decline it in the same channel, until you have saved it. And do not accept it: anyone who pays once will pay again.
What belongs in the report
Describe soberly what happened: when the review appeared, when the message arrived, what it asked for. This sequence is the core, because it shows that the review was a means to an end.
The message itself does not belong in the report text. Google receives no attachment, and a typed-out conversation reads like a claim. What counts is the brief, verifiable sequence of events.
Do not name the author and do not write anything about their intentions. Stick to what happened, and leave it to Google to judge the behaviour.
Where this guide ends
For Google, this is a policy violation, and we report under the policies. Anything beyond that is a legal question, and that is a matter for a lawyer. We do not advise on it and are not permitted to.
The two do not exclude each other. The report to Google runs independently and costs nothing but the time it takes to do it properly.
Key points
A review meant to achieve something is not a review. Save the message, report under Google’s rules, and for anything further, turn to someone who is permitted to help.
Does this apply to one of your reviews?
We look at your profile free of charge and tell you which reviews Google is likely to remove under its policies.
These texts explain Google’s policies, not the legal situation. Löscheule is not a legal services provider within the meaning of § 2 RDG (German Legal Services Act). If your case is a legal dispute, you need a lawyer.