Horrid Reviews

[Scarlett]

I run a small business, and on Sunday night I had someone I have never met troll all my youtube videos. I deleted those comments but I've just seen that he has also left a horrible review (1 star) on my Google listing. I don't have any other reviews, and now this. My business is thriving and popular locally. I have tried to report it on Google under 'hate' but will they remove it? He hasn't sworn - he has tried to write as clearly as well as he can (with terrible grammar). I just don't understand why someone I have never met would do this. I also feel slightly scared, as he managed to find all my YouTube channels and write all over them. What can I do?

[Mamyalynne]

Some general advice here Scarlett.

https://www.herts.police.uk/Information-and-services/Advice/Online-safety/Trolling-and-cyberbullying

[Scarlett]

Thank you Mamyalynne. Useful info but don't know if I should tell the police? One of my YouTubes has my actual name on so he now knows who I am. Might be safer to ignore him though, as rising to his bait is clearly what he wants. It is false information though, what he has written, so that's illegal for a start.

[Buenchico]

Firstly, how do you know that you've not met the person? He might be using a pseudonym on Google or he might simply be a customer whose name you've not known (or who used a different name when they patronised your business).

Finding all of someone's Youtube channels isn't particularly difficult if you know the name that they're registered with Google under. For example, if someone has a Google account under the name Freda Bloggsworth but additional Youtube channels (or 'brands' as Youtube calls them) called 'Rainham Hair Designs', 'Dagenham Car Repairs' and 'Sexy Girl in Catford', then searching Youtube for 'Freda Bloggsworth' will bring up links to videos under all of those different 'brands'.

Have you posted a response to the Google review?
https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474050?hl=en-GB

[Scarlett]

Buenchico- having done some more reading I've learned that he is a criminal, a thief, violent and has been in jail, and was wanted by the police in 2010. He obviously is so full of hate, and this is how he expresses it. I have never met him and I hope I never do! Yes I have posted a report to google- hope they will read it! Thanks for your help :)

[Smowball]

That’s not very nice - wonder why he’s done that?

[roopower]

Sometimes competitors pay people to write bad reviews for similar businesses though it doesn't seem like it here. It sounds very unpleasant and I hope comes to an end soon.