New Google Lawsuit Aims To Curb Fake Business Reviews (reuters.com) 3
Alphabet's Google on Friday sued a Los Angeles man and his companies in San Jose, California federal court, claiming he created hundreds of fake business listings on its platforms and sold them to real businesses to lure in unsuspecting customers. From a report: Fake reviews have been a recurring problem on internet commerce sites. Google said in a statement that it filed the lawsuit against Ethan QiQi Hu to "help put an end to these types of malicious schemes." Google's lawsuit said Hu creates sham businesses that appear in its search engine and Google Maps, using an "elaborate set of props" to verify them on video calls with the tech giant's agents. The lawsuit said Hu keeps a tool bench as a prop to verify fraudulent listings for garage repair, tree cutting and plumbing, and essential oils for verifying fake aromatherapy and reiki therapy businesses. Google said Hu buys thousands of fake positive reviews to make the businesses appear legitimate. He then allegedly sells the profiles as "leads" to real businesses in the same fields, which receive contacts from potential customers who reach out to the fake businesses.
why does maps have Toll booths listed as business (Score:2)
why does maps have Toll booths listed as an business that can be claimed?
at the very least they can flag stuff like that and auto block it.
I think just things like that can prove that google auto fills there lists of unclaimed business to the point in where real ones may need help in getting "leads".
Re: (Score:2)
Tech giants don't care (Score:2)
I've reported hundreds of fake reviews to Google and Amazon (Single lifetime review, similar language as other 5 star reviews). Only about 1% of reports are ever taken down.
These tech giants don't care if their free tools are being manipulated. All they care about is clicks.