“A former employee posted a defamatory review on our Google listing. I want it gone within 2 weeks.”

The steps

1. 1

   Facts only: who wrote it and what it claims

   The owner never pastes the review. A former employee was never a customer, so customer is no-record; the review comes from someone with a conflict of interest and accuses the business of unethical conduct. The owner has not gathered proof yet.

   MCP tool call: check_review_removability

   Copy

   {
     "ownership": "business",
     "customer": "no-record",
     "contains": ["conflict", "accusation"],
     "evidence": {"conflict": "not-yet", "accusation": "not-yet"},
     "false_facts": "no-docs"
   }

   Same call over REST

   Copy

   curl -X POST https://essentras.com/api/agent/v1/check/review-removability \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '{"ownership":"business","customer":"no-record","contains":["conflict","accusation"],"evidence":{"conflict":"not-yet","accusation":"not-yet"},"false_facts":"no-docs"}'

   Real response, trimmed. Captured 19 Oct 2026

   Copy

   {
     "checked": "2026-10-15",
     "status": "complete",
     "summary": "Strong match with a Google rule. Google decides. No service can change that.",
     "verdict": {"id": "match", "label": "Strong match with a Google rule"},
     "rules": [
       {
         "id": "fake-engagement",
         "rule": "Fake Engagement",
         "strength": "named",
         "can_show_it": true
       },
       {
         "id": "rating-manipulation",
         "rule": "Rating Manipulation",
         "strength": "named",
         "can_show_it": false
       },
       {
         "id": "offensive-content",
         "rule": "Offensive content",
         "strength": "judgment",
         "can_show_it": false
       }
     ],
     "legal": {
       "level": "weak",
       "title": "A legal route needs documents first",
       "body": "Google’s Defamation Overview asks for reliable evidence because Google is not well placed to judge what is true. Collect invoices, logs, timestamped photos or third-party records that contradict the specific statement before you file."
     }
   }

   What to read: Fake Engagement can be shown from the record search alone. Rating Manipulation, for the conflict of interest, and Offensive content, for the accusation and a judgment call, wait for proof, and the legal card says a legal route needs documents first.

2. 2

   With proof: every rule, and a legal route

   The owner adds the employment dates (dates only, no HR file) and documents that contradict the false statements. Every rule can now be shown, and the legal card changes.

   MCP tool call: check_review_removability

   Copy

   {
     "ownership": "business",
     "customer": "no-record",
     "contains": ["conflict", "accusation"],
     "evidence": {"conflict": "yes", "accusation": "yes"},
     "false_facts": "docs"
   }

   Same call over REST

   Copy

   curl -X POST https://essentras.com/api/agent/v1/check/review-removability \
     -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
     -d '{"ownership":"business","customer":"no-record","contains":["conflict","accusation"],"evidence":{"conflict":"yes","accusation":"yes"},"false_facts":"docs"}'

   Real response, trimmed. Captured 19 Oct 2026

   Copy

   {
     "checked": "2026-10-15",
     "status": "complete",
     "summary": "Strong match with a Google rule. Google decides. No service can change that.",
     "rules": [
       {"id": "fake-engagement", "rule": "Fake Engagement", "can_show_it": true},
       {"id": "rating-manipulation", "rule": "Rating Manipulation", "can_show_it": true},
       {"id": "offensive-content", "rule": "Offensive content", "can_show_it": true}
     ],
     "do_it_yourself": {
       "timeline": {
         "official": "Official: “Review evaluation typically takes several days.” (Google Business Profile Help)"
       },
       "report_templates": [
         {"id": "B", "title": "No customer record (Fake Engagement)"},
         {"id": "C", "title": "Conflict of interest (Rating Manipulation)"},
         {"id": "A", "title": "Report explanation (any rule)"}
       ],
       "reply_template": {
         "id": "L",
         "note": "No accusations: report first, then reply calmly."
       }
     },
     "legal": {
       "level": "strong",
       "title": "A legal route may apply",
       "body": "If the review states specific facts that are false and you can prove it, you can ask Google to remove it under the law (Report Content On Google, then Google Maps). Removal applies only in the country where it is considered defamatory. A court order is not listed as a requirement. Use a licensed attorney for anything contested, and never threaten the reviewer.",
       "official_link": {
         "title": "Google Legal Help: Defamation Overview",
         "url": "https://support.google.com/legal-help-center/answer/16833565"
       },
       "template": {
         "id": "J",
         "title": "Legal removal request outline (defamation)",
         "note": "False statements of fact only. Use a licensed attorney for anything contested. Not legal advice."
       }
     }
   }

   What to read: legal.body is the legal route in the checker’s own words, and the note on template J says it is not legal advice. timeline.official is the only timing Google states, and it is no promise of 2 weeks.

3. 3

   Price the service, after the free routeService step

   The free route comes first: report the review under the rule the owner can prove best. For a buyer who wants it handled, quote_service returns the 1-review price and start_url.

   MCP tool call: quote_service

   Copy

   {
     "id": "google-review-removal"
   }

   Same call over REST

   Copy

   curl https://essentras.com/api/agent/v1/services/google-review-removal

   Real response, trimmed. Captured 19 Oct 2026

   Copy

   {
     "id": "google-review-removal",
     "name": "Google review removal",
     "start_url": "https://essentras.com/services/google-review-removal/start?utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=agent_api&utm_content=quote_service",
     "price": {
       "amount": 499,
       "label": "$499 per review",
       "basis": "from",
       "tiers": [
         {"quantity": 1, "amount": 499, "per_unit": 499},
         {"quantity": 3, "amount": 1350, "per_unit": 450},
         {"quantity": 5, "amount": 2000, "per_unit": 400},
         {"quantity": 10, "amount": 3500, "per_unit": 350}
       ]
     },
     "options": [],
     "terms": "Pro-rata refund, per review: if Google does not remove a review you paid for, that review’s share of the fee comes back. Reviews that do not qualify in the free check come off the order and are refunded before anything is filed.",
     "decides": "Google decides every removal. The refund is ours to make.",
     "free_check": {"mcp_tool": "check_review_removability"},
     "how_to_buy": "start_url is the page where the buyer reviews the service and pays. The agent never pays."
   }

   What to read: $499 for 1 review. terms: if Google does not remove a review the buyer paid for, that review’s share of the fee comes back. decides: Google decides every removal.