PALM BAY, Fla. – Authorities are saying that small businesses are being targeted by scammers through fake Google review.
One such business, 3LP Roofing in Palm Bay, received several negative reviews recently, which raised eyebrows.
What Happened:
A small business based in Palm Bay, 3LP Roofing, was caught off guard and confused when a flurry of negative reviews came in all at once.
Immediately, they tried to figure out what customer had issues with their roofing services but couldn’t match the reviews with anyone they had worked with while in business.
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Concerns grew when an email came in saying they had posted the reviews and asking the owner how much they would pay them to have them removed. The alleged scammer also wanted them to talk more over WhatsApp. The small business owner started looking up what he was experiencing online and found it was a small business review scam.
The company is working to have the negative reviews removed with Google and being transparent with their followers on social media about what happened. The community has showered them with support since the unfortunate situation.
How to spot a fake review
What you can do:
People can spot “fake reviews” by filtering the reviews by date. If someone sees a lot of reviews posted around the same time, with similar messages, it’s likely they’re fake. You should also check various sources for reviews. Don’t just rely on one platform.
You can also read reviews about businesses from the BBB website. They vet their reviews to make sure fraudulent reviews aren’t hurting businesses. Consumers have to prove they worked with a business, and if they can’t, the review isn’t posted.
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The Better Business Bureau says these scams are common and can have detrimental effects on small businesses. The negative reviews can turn people away from working with them.
What they’re saying:
The small business owner says he’s trying to work through the situation but was shocked to see a scam like this happen to him.
“It’s been a challenge, very frustrating because how our community looks at us and feels about us is very important to us, and we don’t take that lightly,” said Jeff Arnold, who owns 3LP Roofing.
The Better Business Bureau says it’s hard to stop scammers from posting online but encourages business owners not to interact with the alleged scammer so it doesn’t fuel the fire.
“Fake reviews being left which, of course, skews the picture for small business which can make or break a company’s future,” said Holly Salmons, who’s the President of the Better Business Bureau of Central Florida.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower saw the business’s post on social media and reached out for more information. She interviewed the owner on Oct. 15, 2025, and also spoke with the BBB via zoom. She reviewed emails and the reviews that were sent to the small business.