I run a small local service business, and a competitor recently posted a series of fake negative reviews about us. We're working on online reputation management to push them down, but it feels like a constant game of whack-a-mole. Has anyone had success with a more proactive legal approach, like a cease and desist, or does that usually just escalate the situation?
Cease and desist can set a boundary but it can backfire If you hire a lawyer have them draft a careful letter that names the false reviews and asks for removal if the platform policy is broken Avoid threats
Gather solid evidence Links timestamps screenshots and a simple incident log show the pattern and impact Keep a file it helps if you sue later or negotiate
Report to the platforms Use their abuse report flows and attach the evidence It helps to document the issue even if not all reviews are removed
Remember that opinions are protected but false factual claims can be defamation and this varies by state A local attorney can tell you if you have a case
Go proactive with review monitoring 2025 brand protection 2025 and social media monitoring 2025 Build real positive reviewer flow to push down fake posts and show the truth