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Fightback! How to SUE trustpilot for libelous reviews

Posted: October 28th, 2024
by muhaha
Hey fellow business owners,

I’m fuming right now and if you’re dealing with Trustpilot, you probably know why. It’s beyond frustrating to be bombarded with fake, negative reviews from people who aren’t even your customers, and then have Trustpilot refuse to take them down. It feels like these guys are running an extortion racket, forcing us to pay to manage our ratings and clean up our trustpilot pages from liblous reviews. It’s outrageous and downright illegal.

But guess what? There’s a better way than lining their pockets. You can fight back—legally—and even get compensation. If you've received a libelous review (that means it's false, damaging, and written down), and Trustpilot refuses to remove it despite clear evidence, they can be held accountable. For instance, if someone claims you delivered a poor service that you don’t even offer, or if they say something damaging about your business that’s outright false, that’s defamatory. Reviews that label you as scammers or urge others to avoid your business fall into this category as well.

Here’s what you can do to take action:

1. Gather Evidence:
  • Collect all relevant evidence, including screenshots of the negative review, dates, and any identifying information about the reviewer. Ensure these are time-stamped and clear.
  • Maintain a detailed log of all interactions with trustpilot and any correspondence related to the issue.
  • Compile evidence that refutes the false statements, such as transaction records, customer service email exchanges, or testimonials from satisfied customers.
  • Determine how the review affects your business by noting any changes in customer inquiries, sales, or reputation. You may also want to track and record where the trustpilot page appears in search results and document any customer inquiries referencing the negative review or reviews on trustpilot and expressing hesitation about trusting your business as a result.
2. Consult a Lawyer:
  • Find a laywer with expertise in defamation and libel cases, particularly those involving online content.
  • Understanding defamation law is crucial, as it defines the legal thresholds for what constitutes defamation.
  • Your lawyer will evaluate whether the content meets the criteria for defamation under the law, such as whether it causes or is likely to cause serious harm to your reputation.
3. Proceed with Legal Action:
  • Your lawyer may first send a formal cease and desist letter or a request for removal to trustpilot, specifying the defamatory nature of the content and requesting its removal or a correction.
  • If the platform does not comply, you may choose to initiate legal proceedings. This involves filing a claim in the appropriate court.
  • Depending on the case, you may seek remedies such as damages for reputational harm, a court order to remove the review, or an injunction to prevent further defamatory statements.
If enough of us stand up and take legal action, maybe then Trustpilot will think twice about their shady practices. It’s high time they stopped extorting businesses by forcing us to buy into their scammy subscriptions.

If you’re in the same boat and want to talk more about Trustpilot’s dodgy ways, or if you need help figuring out next steps, drop a comment below. Let’s help each other out and put an end to this nonsense once and for all.