If you have recently noticed a sudden, unexplained drop in 5-star ratings on a client’s Google Business Profile (GBP), you are not alone.
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Across the local SEO industry, forums and support threads are reporting the same issue: reviews are disappearing overnight. This is not a bug or a temporary glitch. It is the result of Google’s most aggressive, AI-driven crackdown on fake and incentivized reviews to date.
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For years, some businesses have manipulated the system by purchasing bulk 5-star ratings or offering customers discounts in exchange for positive reviews. Now, Google is using its Gemini AI to address these practices, and the resulting changes are significantly impacting Local SEO.
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This guide outlines the details of the crackdown, associated penalties, and steps to protect your genuine business profiles.
 How Google is Weaponizing Gemini Against Spam
Previously, Google’s spam filters were primarily reactive. For example, if a listing received 500 reviews from foreign IP addresses overnight, a manual action or basic algorithm might detect it. Today, enforcement is both proactive and retroactive, with significantly improved intelligence.
Google has specifically trained its Gemini AI models to identify unnatural review patterns. The AI examines more than just the speed of incoming reviews; it also considers:
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- Account History: Are the reviewers using burner Gmail accounts created solely to leave a single 5-star review?
- Behavioral Footprints: Is a reviewer leaving identical praise for a plumber in Chicago, a dentist in London, and a landscaper in Florida?
- Retroactive Analysis: Gemini reviews past activity. Reviews that previously passed initial filters, even from months or years ago, are now being removed if the AI identifies the reviewer’s account as part of a broader spam network.
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Google is also sending direct warning emails to profile managers with the subject line: “Fake or incentivised reviews found on your Business Profile,” clearly explaining the reason for the decline in review numbers.
The Penalties: Deletions, Blocks, and “The Label of Shame”
Google is no longer quietly deleting fake reviews. The company is now actively penalizing businesses that facilitate them. If the algorithm detects a profile using manipulative tactics, penalties escalate quickly:
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1. The 30-Day (or Longer) Review Block: If Google detects a surge of suspicious activity, it will temporarily freeze the GBP. During this period, the business cannot receive new reviews, and the existing review section may be hidden from the public.
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2. The Complete Wipeout: In severe cases, Google removes all reviews, not just those suspected as fake. Businesses found using “review farms” may see their average rating reduced to zero.
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3. Public Warning Labels: Due to regulatory pressure from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and similar organizations worldwide, Google is now adding public warning labels to the profiles of repeat offenders. These banners inform potential customers that the business was found posting fake reviews. Such labels can severely impact conversion rates.
The Collateral Damage: When Genuine Reviews Vanish
A significant challenge of this crackdown for local SEOs is the occurrence of false positives. The AI’s broad approach sometimes results in legitimate customer reviews being mistakenly removed.
If a genuine customer leaves a review but their Google account has a low trust score, or if a business experiences a legitimate spike in reviews (for example, after a successful email campaign), Gemini may automatically filter these as spam. Currently, Google Support’s position on these filtered reviews is strict: if the AI removes a review, reinstatement is extremely difficult.
The 2026 Survival Guide for Local SEOs
Shortcuts with GBP reviews are no longer viable. To adapt to this era of strict moderation, businesses and marketers must update their strategies immediately.
- Stop All Incentives: Do not offer discounts, freebies, or contest entries in exchange for reviews. Even requests for “honest” feedback accompanied by incentives violate Google’s terms. The AI is increasingly effective at detecting reviews that reveal such practices (for example, “Thanks for the free dessert for leaving this review!”).
- Pace Your Review Generation: Avoid sending large, one-time email requests to your entire database on the same day. A sudden increase of 50 reviews within 24 hours can trigger Gemini’s spam filters. Instead, automate review requests to be sent consistently after each service is completed.
- Diversify Your Social Proof: Do not rely solely on Google. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms such as Yelp, Trustpilot, industry-specific directories, and Facebook. If your GBP experiences a temporary review block, alternative sources of social proof are essential.
- Monitor Daily: Use tools to track your review counts each day. If you notice a sudden drop, pause any review generation campaigns immediately to allow the profile to stabilize and reduce the risk of suspension.
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Google’s message is clear: authenticity is essential. Although the AI’s collateral damage is frustrating for honest business owners, this purge ultimately benefits legitimate local businesses. By removing fake competition, companies that provide excellent customer service will have a stronger presence in local search results. own the local pack.