Not Every Bad Review Is Defamation — But Some Are
Genuinely negative customer experiences are protected opinion, and businesses have to accept honest criticism. The reviews that matter here are different: reviews from people who were never customers, reviews that state false facts rather than opinions, and reviews left by competitors, former employees, or coordinated groups. Investigating review defamation starts with determining whether a review reflects a real transaction at all, then documenting the false statements and their business impact.
How a Review Investigation Works
Transaction Verification
Cross-referencing reviewer claims against actual customer, sales, or appointment records to determine whether a real transaction occurred.
Reviewer Pattern Analysis
Reviewing the reviewer's account history and posting patterns for signs of a fake, duplicate, or competitor-linked account.
Platform Reporting Strategy
Preparing and submitting platform-specific flagging and removal requests using each platform's own policies.
Response & Cleanup
Where removal isn't possible, developing a response and search visibility strategy through Hartzer Consulting.