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Extortionists use Yelp to shakedown businesses

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  • Description

    Scammers threaten negative reviews unless given payment

  • Duration 2:01
  • Date

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This transcript is automatically generated

So we got this review from our extortionist.

And it's one star of course Sacramento restaurant -- my Cuba sly comic.

I asked you review from the -- he got food poisoning and in an email threatened a virtual takedown I'm going to do a scathing review of -- one Yelp and reported to the Health Department.

However if you buy me a hundred dollar gift card to Allah which is a nice restaurant here in town.

You'll save me from doing all -- things.

And to meet I was extortion.

My -- didn't pay a dime and the customers -- didn't mention any food poisoning confirming his suspicions the accusation was false they're jerks everywhere right in the offline world then and in the online world the free speech advocate Matt Zimmerman says the proliferation of review website is giving rise to a new kind of cyber criminal.

The extortionist who knows his post is a powerful megaphone.

Yelp allows its users and business owners to flag questionable content and while the company declined our requests to talk about cases of extortion on camera.

Its web site touts special filters that protect against -- shill or malicious reviews.

But what about extortion what -- business owners do.

Zimmerman says the best solution isn't to pay and it isn't to file a lawsuit.

Rather he suggests using social media platforms to explain their side of the story.

And work even harder to -- positive reviews.

Even if an -- is unfair.

You're you know businesses I think more effective response is going to be to creates.

A counter narrative on line.

Some turn the tables.

When New York's Joseph -- invited people to try the worst meatball sandwich that one guy on Yelp ever had in his life.

The image went viral and sandwich sales soared.

It's cameras aside a good percentage of online comments both positive and negative are fake.

Presenting a challenge for businesses and review sites trying to serve up integrity.

In San Francisco audience -- Fox News.

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