Fake Google reviews are illegal in Australia. Posting them, paying for them, or asking friends to leave reviews for a business they’ve never used can breach the Australian Consumer Law, and penalties now run into the millions. Google also removes fake reviews and can put a public warning on your Business Profile.
This guide explains what counts as a fake review, what the law says, what happened to businesses that tried it, and how to build genuine reviews instead.
What counts as a fake Google review?
A fake review is any review that doesn’t reflect a genuine customer’s real experience. That includes:
- Reviews you write yourself about your own business, under your name or someone else’s.
- Paid reviews bought from review farms, freelancers or “reputation” services.
- Reviews from friends, family or staff who haven’t actually used your product or service, or who don’t disclose their connection to you.
- Incentivised reviews, where customers get a discount, gift or freebie in return for a review.
- Fake negative reviews posted about a competitor.
- Edited or suppressed reviews, such as hiding negative reviews or only inviting happy customers to review.
Are fake reviews illegal in Australia?
Yes. The ACCC states plainly that creating fake or misleading reviews, or arranging for someone else to create them, can breach the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACCC’s small business guidance goes further: it’s against the law even when the review is posted as a favour by friends or family.
Two parts of the ACL do most of the work:
- Section 18 bans misleading or deceptive conduct in trade or commerce.
- Section 29 bans false or misleading representations, including fake testimonials about goods or services.
A review presented as an independent customer’s opinion, when it isn’t, is misleading. It doesn’t matter whether it’s on Google, Facebook, your own website or a review platform.
What are the penalties?
Since November 2022, the maximum penalty for a company breaching the consumer law is the greatest of:
- $50 million;
- three times the value of the benefit obtained; or
- 30% of the company’s adjusted turnover during the breach period, if the benefit can’t be worked out.
Individuals face up to $2.5 million per contravention. The ACCC can also issue infringement notices for smaller matters, which are fines paid without going to court.
Real Australian cases
The ACCC has penalised businesses of every size for misleading reviews:
| Business | What happened | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Citymove (removalist) | Posted fake reviews about itself | $6,600 infringement notice |
| Service Seeking (online platform) | Let businesses create their own reviews, then published them as genuine | $600,000 |
| Bloomex (florist) | Misleading claims about online reviews and pricing | $1 million |
| HealthEngine (health booking) | Suppressed and edited negative patient reviews, plus other conduct | $2.9 million |
| PhotobookShop (online retailer, 2026) | Told influencers not to disclose paid reviews and edited out negative content | $39,600 in infringement notices |
The PhotobookShop case is a recent reminder that “free products” count as payment. If a review was gifted or paid for, it must be disclosed.
What Google does to fake reviews
Google’s rules for Maps and Business Profiles ban content that doesn’t reflect a genuine experience, and they ban reviews offered in exchange for money, discounts or free products. If Google decides a business has broken its fake engagement policy, it can:
- remove the fake reviews;
- stop the profile receiving new reviews for a period;
- unpublish existing reviews and ratings; and
- display a public warning on the profile saying suspected fake reviews were removed.
That warning sits on your listing where every potential customer can see it. For a local business, it can cost far more in lost enquiries than any fine.
Fuelled SEO is new, and our reviews will take time
We’ll be upfront: Fuelled SEO is a new business. Darren started it after years of ranking affiliate websites in some of the most competitive niches online, and our Google reviews will grow slowly, one real client at a time.
We could have bought a page of five-star reviews. We didn’t, because it’s illegal, it breaks Google’s rules, and it’s exactly the kind of shortcut we tell our clients to avoid. Every review you see on our profile will be from a genuine client.
What we can show you instead is how hard our links work. Our monthly SEO packages, DA 90 backlinks and premium guest posts use real, high-authority websites, not PBNs. If you’d rather test us before committing, start small with a single guest post or our affordable SEO services and judge the results for yourself.
How to get genuine Google reviews legally
- Ask every customer. Send your Google review link after each job, not just to the ones you think were happy. Selectively inviting only satisfied customers can itself mislead.
- Make it easy. Put your review link in emails, invoices and text messages, and on a QR code at your counter.
- Never offer anything in return. No discounts, entries into prize draws or freebies for reviews.
- Reply to every review, positive and negative. A calm, helpful reply to a bad review builds more trust than a wall of perfect scores.
- Don’t delete or bury criticism on your own website or social pages.
- Keep your Business Profile active with photos, posts and accurate details. Our Google Business Profile package strengthens your profile’s local signals without touching your reviews.
For more on ranking in the map pack, read our guide to Google Maps ranking factors.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask friends and family to review my business?
Only if they’ve genuinely used your product or service, and even then they should disclose their relationship with you. Reviews from people who haven’t been customers can breach the Australian Consumer Law.
Can I offer a discount in exchange for a Google review?
No. Google bans reviews given in exchange for money, discounts or free products, and an undisclosed incentive can also make the review misleading under Australian law.
What should I do if a competitor posts fake reviews about me?
Flag the reviews in your Google Business Profile, reply calmly and factually, and keep a record. You can also report misleading review conduct to the ACCC.
Can buying backlinks get me in the same trouble as fake reviews?
Link building isn’t covered by the review rules in the Australian Consumer Law. The risk with links is a Google ranking penalty, which is why we only use real, relevant websites. See our guide to white hat vs black hat SEO.
Talk to Darren
Want rankings without the risky shortcuts? Call Darren on 0478 928 857 or email darren@fuelledseo.com.au for honest advice on what will move your business forward.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your situation, speak to a lawyer or see the ACCC’s guidance on online reviews.
