How to identify anonymous fake Google reviews and stop online harassment
Online defamation and harassment can tear through reputations and businesses — especially when it comes from people you once trusted. This is the story of how we supported a couple who were subjected to a calculated, malicious online campaign and how we used the law to fight back.
The situation: fake reviews, sabotage, and an anonymous campaign
Where it all started: the personal side of digital abuse
The legal approach: disclosure orders and digital investigation
Understanding the law: online defamation and harassment explained
The outcome: legal clarity, reputational protection
How to get an injunction against anonymous online harassers
Lawyers' thoughts about the case
The situation: fake reviews, sabotage, and an anonymous campaign
Our clients, whom we’ll refer to as Nadia and Farid, are respected business owners in Manchester. They run a serviced office facility and a small charitable organisation. Their lives took a troubling turn when dozens of fake, defamatory Google reviews began appearing across multiple business profiles they owned. But it didn’t stop there. Their neighbours received anonymous letters making shocking and false allegations.
Business contacts and even friends were targeted through online platforms, emails, and phone calls. The reviews and messages included damaging claims — some using publicly available but long-past legal history in twisted and misleading ways, while others falsely accused them of fraud, infidelity, and misconduct. The situation was a textbook case of coordinated online harassment.
Where it all started: the personal side of digital abuse
The couple suspected the source of the harassment to be two former friends — sisters who had been part of their social circles. As evidence mounted, it became clear the motivations were not commercial, but personal. One of the sisters, A, had allegedly developed an inappropriate interest in Farid, despite being married. When Nadia discovered that A had lied to her husband about her whereabouts (and was visiting Nadia and Farid secretly), the friendship ended.
Soon after, the harassment began. Nadia’s charity’s social media pages were targeted first. Then came the false reviews on Google and defamatory posts on sites like Complaints Hub — a known “blackmail-style” site that posts negative material and charges victims to take it down.
The legal approach: disclosure orders and digital investigation
Our primary goal was to help Nadia and Farid identify the person behind the reviews so they could take proper legal action. But the attacker(s) were using pseudonyms and hiding behind anonymous Google accounts. We began by analysing the reviews and requesting Google preserve associated data.
A disclosure application — called a Norwich Pharmacal Order — was made through the High Court’s Media and Communications List. This compelled Google to provide any information they held, including associated email addresses, IP addresses, and account metadata. Google complied.
However, the attacker had used anonymisation tools. Some IP addresses traced back to general London areas and a Vodafone SIM card — but not to a specific individual. Despite this, we were able to preserve crucial evidence, and our legal analysis indicated this could still form the basis for action against “persons unknown.” Even without names, an injunction can be secured to deter and potentially criminalise future behaviour under contempt of court rules.
Understanding the law: online defamation and harassment explained
This case highlights how online defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment, breach of privacy, and misuse of private information often go hand in hand. Defamation typically involves someone publishing a false statement that harms a person’s reputation. For instance, if someone writes fake Google reviews suggesting a business is dishonest or fraudulent, that can fall squarely into the realm of defamation under UK law.
Malicious falsehood, while similar, places the burden on the victim to prove not only that the statements were false, but that they were made with a deliberate intent to cause harm. Harassment, on the other hand, doesn't hinge solely on truth or falsehood. It involves repeated behaviour that causes alarm or distress, such as a sustained campaign of fake reviews, anonymous letters, or threatening messages.
In addition to these, there are situations where personal or private information is shared without consent. This could breach an individual’s right to privacy or amount to misuse of private information — especially if the disclosure is made with a spiteful motive. In this case, we relied on a combination of these legal frameworks when preparing our court application.
The outcome: legal clarity, reputational protection
The court granted the disclosure order, and we secured data from Google. Although the information did not directly identify the perpetrators, it allowed us to preserve key evidence and take decisive next steps. While an injunction was not immediately granted alongside the disclosure order, we advised our clients on the legal mechanisms available to them.
Specifically, we explained how, in situations where the attackers remain anonymous, you could still pursue an injunction against "persons unknown." Our clients chose to proceed with this route, and the court subsequently granted an injunction. Although it did not name individuals, it applied to anyone found to be responsible for the fake reviews and defamatory material. This injunction now gives our clients strong legal grounds to request swift takedown of future abusive content and to serve formal notice to suspected individuals.
A breach of this injunction could trigger contempt of court proceedings, which carry serious consequences including potential imprisonment. This legal tool is especially powerful in cases where victims suspect the identity of the harasser but cannot yet prove it beyond doubt. It provides a deterrent effect and helps contain the damage while ongoing investigations continue.
How to get an injunction against anonymous online harassers
Let’s pause for a moment to explain how injunctions against anonymous people (sometimes referred to as "persons unknown") work. If, after making reasonable enquiries, you are still unable to clearly identify who is behind the harassment or defamatory statements, the law allows you to proceed by filing a claim and seeking a summary judgment against anonymous defendants.
This type of legal action can be surprisingly effective. Once the court grants such an injunction, you can serve it on those you reasonably suspect to be involved — even if you don’t yet have conclusive evidence of their identity.
It can also be served on others who may be facilitating the harmful content, whether by posting, sharing, or hosting it. This approach is often more efficient and strategic than pursuing a full trial.
Not only does it save time and costs, but it also results in a broad-reaching injunction that can protect against past, ongoing, and future harassment or defamation.
Lawyers' thoughts about the case
This case stood out to us not only because of its deeply personal nature, but also because it exposed the very modern ways in which digital tools can be weaponised by individuals with personal grudges. As lawyers who specialise in internet law, we often see how quickly online spaces can become battlegrounds, especially when relationships break down or emotions run high. In this instance, the motivation for the online attacks was not commercial competition or disgruntled customers, but a former personal connection fuelled by jealousy and unresolved conflict.
From a legal perspective, the case illustrates both the challenges and opportunities presented by anonymity online. On one hand, the individuals behind the harassment took steps to hide their identities — using pseudonyms, anonymised IP addresses, and third-party complaint sites. This might seem like a dead-end to many people, but in law- especially with the right digital forensic support and the cooperation of platforms like Google- there are still avenues to uncovering the truth. What’s more, this case reaffirmed the value of seeking an injunction against "persons unknown".
Too often, victims feel stuck because they don’t know exactly who is behind the abuse. This case shows that, even without that knowledge, you can still apply pressure, stop the harassment, and regain control.
We believe more victims would benefit from understanding that the law can still help even when their attacker hides in the shadows of the internet. If you’ve found yourself or your business under attack with fake Google reviews, you are not alone. These reviews are often designed to mislead potential clients, undermine credibility and damage professional reputations.
You may also be receiving anonymous messages or posts on social media — the kind that make wild accusations, hint at scandal, or encourage others to distance themselves from you or your organisation. In some cases, the abuse escalates into full-blown harassment. This may come from former friends, ex-partners, or disgruntled associates who know just enough about your life to make the lies they spread feel uncomfortably plausible. It could even reach the point where your name is being posted on sites designed to exploit victims, such as so-called complaint forums where the only way to remove content is to pay a fee.
It can be terrifying and infuriating in equal measure — but the good news is that the law offers real remedies. With the right legal advice, it is possible to trace who is behind the abuse, even if they are hiding behind fake accounts and proxy services. Once you have enough evidence, you can apply for powerful court orders such as disclosure orders and injunctions that can stop the abuse in its tracks.
If you're facing a similar issue as a business owner, a professional, or someone running a charitable initiative dealing with anonymous online harassment or defamation, it’s crucial to act quickly. Often, the first step is to gather as much evidence as possible — take screenshots, document timelines, and preserve user IDs. From there, expert legal support can help you build a case.
We’ve helped dozens of clients uncover the identities of anonymous attackers through forensic techniques and legal processes like Norwich Pharmacal Orders. These court orders compel platforms such as Google or social media companies to release information that can identify wrongdoers. Once identified, you have options.
You can pursue claims for defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment, or misuse of private information. You might obtain an injunction to prevent further abuse.
Importantly, you can start to rebuild and protect your reputation with the confidence that the law is on your side. If this situation feels familiar, get in touch with us. We understand the toll these experiences take and we know how to help you move from victim to victor, using the law to secure peace and justice.