Yelp

Yelp is a business SCAM! They only post reviews when companies pay for it.

Adviser1 posted a positive review for a construction company. We took about a half hour and wrote an honest and detailed review which was not posted. The company owner told me he was asked to pay for it to make it post. This proves Yelp is a scam!

Many small businesses have reported being extorted or blackmailed by Yelp unless they pay for, and utilize, Yelp’s advertising services. While some companies have benefited significantly from positive Yelp reviews, others’ reputations have been damaged by false or negative reviews that became prominent on the site.

If you own or manage a business, you understand the importance of online reviews and a positive online reputation. Reviews can often make or break a business—which is why the notion of Yelp extortion and rumors of Yelp blackmailing businesses can be alarming.

Allegedly, Yelp has extorted small businesses by raising or lowering ratings based on whether a business is actively paying for, and using, its advertising service. For example, Yelp has been accused of suppressing and removing real, positive reviews for a business that refuses to pay Yelp’s advertising membership fee, while prominently displaying false, negative reviews for that same business.

According to the rumors, once a business pays an advertising fee (rates for which start at $150 per month), the negative reviews mysteriously disappear. Read more here.