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Why Buying Fake Reviews Will Nuke Your Profile

Buying reviews used to be merely risky. As of the FTC's 2024 rule, buying or selling fake reviews is explicitly illegal (FTC 2024). On top of that, Google's systems detect and remove fake reviews — frequently dragging your ranking down in the process.

The short answer

Buying reviews used to be merely risky. As of the FTC's 2024 rule, buying or selling fake reviews is explicitly illegal (FTC 2024). On top of that, Google's systems detect and remove fake reviews — frequently dragging your ranking down in the process.

The pattern gives you away

Fake reviews don't look like real ones. Real reviews trickle in, name the tech, mention the job. Purchased ones arrive in clumps, sound generic, and come from accounts with no local history. That pattern is exactly what detection systems — and savvy homeowners — look for.

The only play that lasts

The asset you actually want is a steady stream of authentic reviews that compounds for years. You build it by asking every happy customer, every job, with one tap. Slower to start, impossible to take away.

Watch the full breakdown

Marshall and Ray went deep on this in Get More Google Reviews on Get Booked, Not F***ed — same math, more cussing. Watch or listen to the full episode here.

Frequently asked questions

Is it illegal to buy Google reviews?

Yes. The FTC's 2024 rule makes buying or selling fake reviews explicitly illegal (FTC 2024), and Google independently removes them and can penalize your profile.

Can Google tell if reviews are fake?

Increasingly, yes. Bursts of generic reviews from accounts with no local history are exactly the pattern detection systems flag and remove.

What happens if I get caught with fake reviews?

Google can remove the reviews and penalize your profile's visibility, and the FTC's 2024 rule adds legal exposure. The downside dwarfs any short-term gain.