How to remove fake Google ratings?

[madmartian]

Somebody gave my site a one-star rating on Google Maps, no text, just the rating. I don't even have a retail location and the person is not a customer - no communication at all.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XqE3DZfaUYXc75rt9

Since then I have been inundated by offers to remove the rating - for a free, of course. Obviously part of an extortion scam. Unfortunately, I can't get Google to remove it without a court order. At least that's what Google is telling me. Anyone else have this experience or know what to do about it, short of getting a court order?

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us.

If a court has issued an order regarding the content in question, please send us a copy of the order and provide the following information:

1. the URL for each web page that contains the allegedly infringing content,
2. the exact text or content from each URL that violates the order, and
3. the specific part of your court order that mandates the removal of these webpages.

Without this information, we cannot consider your request.

Regards,

The Google Team

For more information about our content removal process, see g.co/legal.

[Nickz]

Just tell the Google team that there is no order.
Sometimes you need to repeat those infos several times till the penny drops-

[madmartian]

3 hours ago, Nickz said:

Just tell the Google team that there is no order.
Sometimes you need to repeat those infos several times till the penny drops-

They aren't listening. It's all automatic reply stuff. If I respond to the message with an explanation, I get the exact same message back again in response.

[@diegofrancesco]

Hello madmartian,
read this: https://support.google.com/business/answer/4596773?hl=en

and then appeal from here: https://support.google.com/business/workflow/9945796?hl=en&sjid=3854137961629507042-EU