Montreal restaurants hit with extortion scam after series of fake Google reviews

Some Montreal restaurants have been targeted by fake Google reviews to try and shake down owners for money.

At least three Montreal restaurants say they were victims of extortion recently after a wave of fake, 1-star Google reviews were posted online.

On Monday, Jack Zeppetelli, co-owner of Limbo, woke up to about 20 negative reviews for his restaurant in Montreal’s Little Italy neighbourhood.

He said he knew something was off.

The reviews for Limbo, which opened last March, complained about food that wasn’t even on their menu, like burgers and fries.

“At first it was really frightening, I guess, because we unfortunately rely on feedback and review systems to have our visibility and have people trust in us,” Zeppetelli told CTV News.

After dozens of fake comments, one finally asked the restaurant owners to call a WhatsApp phone number to remove the bad reviews, but they didn’t comply.

Zeppetelli said he spoke to a Montreal journalist who called the number, originating in Pakistan, to inquire about removing the posts, which would only be done, he said, if Limbo paid $200.

With no option to call Google for help, he said he had to fill out a form to report the reviews and have them taken down.

The scam is not a sophisticated one, but it is one that nonetheless can cause serious harm.

For a small restaurant, particularly a new one, Google reviews are often the first thing customers consider before stepping through the door, so attempts to lower the star-based rating can hurt their bottom line.

“I can’t say it doesn’t hurt when somebody doesn’t like our food or our service just as much as everybody else does, and they make a point to tell everybody on the internet,” Zeppetelli said. “I mean, I don’t want to be, but I’m very attached to the number rating.”

Harrison Shewchuk, Limbo’s co-owner and executive chef, said the incident highlights the lack of protections for restaurateurs in the face of malicious online campaigns and cyberattacks.

They weren’t the only ones targeted.

He said he knows other restaurants that were hit with fake reviews in Montreal, including Bistro La Franquette and Salle Climatisée.

Last week, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Google removed dozens of fake one-star reviews from eight Philidelphia, U.S. restaurants after a scammer, also based in Pakistan, demanded a ransom.

Jeff Horncastle, client and communications outreach officer at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, said this type of scam puts “a new twist on extortion” by criminals who are always looking for new ways to steal money.

“Similar to other forms of extortion, where there’s a threat, you know, if you don’t pay, then we’re not going to take these reviews down, we would always advise not to pay the amount that they’re requesting,” Horncastle told CTV News. “There’s no guarantee that they’re going to stop asking for money.”

He suggested that business owners reach out to the platform in question and document everything to help their case.

“Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre,” he said. “The more information we have, the more information we have to work with our partners and for awareness and education as well.”

With files from CTV News’ Daniel J. Rowe.