The issue, which had quietly been building for months, came to a head when an official request for action was sent to Google (Thailand) Co Ltd in Bangkok. One three-page letter, seen by The Phuket News, was sent by one of Phuket’s leading law firms and addressed to Google’s directors.
Titled ‘Request for Review of Advertising Integrity and Review-Related Activity within the Phuket Real Estate Sector’, the letter raises serious concerns about what appear to be coordinated fake-review attacks, irregular ad-click activity and potentially manipulative online practices affecting property businesses on the island.
PATTERNS
In the letter, the firm outlined two key developments observed by multiple agencies: irregular ad-click and traffic patterns consistent with automated or coordinated activity, and inauthentic Google reviews targeting legitimate companies.
“These developments have caused measurable financial and reputational impacts,” the letter stated, “and have led to wider concern among legitimate operators about advertising integrity and user-generated content in the region.”
Phuket’s property market, it noted, is “highly competitive and increasingly digital,” with some operators controlling multiple brands and online portfolios, blurring the lines for consumers trying to identify independent agencies.
“While we make no allegations against any specific organisation,” the letter added, “the overall market dynamic may inadvertently encourage aggressive online practices. In such an environment, even limited misuse of advertising tools or review systems can have an outsized effect on visibility and trust.”
OUT OF COUNTRY
One agency reported unexplained traffic spikes from overseas, forcing it to pause Google Ads campaigns several times this year. Others reported the same. At the same time, businesses that had recently gained strong search visibility found themselves hit by sudden clusters of negative or generic reviews from new accounts with no prior history.
While fluctuations in online traffic are normal, the letter argued, the recurrence and coordination of these patterns point to a larger problem requiring Google’s direct intervention.
The legal request asked Google Thailand to: 1. Review invalid-traffic and click-fraud indicators affecting real estate advertisers; 2. Investigate and remove fake or abusive reviews; 3. Appoint a liaison officer to communicate directly with the law firm; and 4. Promote transparency in cases where companies operate under multiple brand names.
The complaint, it said, was made “in the spirit of cooperation” to help Google “preserve a transparent, trustworthy environment for both users and legitimate advertisers in Thailand.”
‘ATTACK ON ENTIRE INDUSTRY’
The legal move followed public statements by JFTB Real Estate Phuket, one of several agencies hit by what it described as a “coordinated fake-review attack”.
In a strongly worded post in September, JFTB declared that the wave of fabricated reviews “is not just an attack on our agency ‒ it is an attack on the entire industry.”
The company said agencies with long track records and hundreds of legitimate reviews were suddenly targeted by “bursts of low-quality, off-topic, or clearly fabricated reviews” from new profiles.
“The timing and content suggest coordination,” the statement said. “Profiles with no history, generic language and activity clustered within short windows. For industries like real estate, where reputation drives inquiry and conversion, this kind of manipulation has an outsized impact.”
DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE
JFTB has documented at least 37 fake accounts posting misleading reviews about its business and at least eight other agencies on the island.
The reviews were often “soft-positive”, rating three or four stars instead of one, subtly reducing averages without triggering obvious red flags. Within weeks, JFTB’s overall Google rating dropped from 4.8 to 4.4 stars.
Investigators found that some of the same accounts posted reviews for unrelated businesses in Europe and the Middle East within hours, suggesting use of global “review-farm” networks. The text was also repetitive, with vague words such as “energy”, “vibe” and “ambiance” ‒ terms unrelated to property services.
Despite filing multiple cases with Google Business Profile Support, JFTB said little action had been taken.
The motive remains unclear. Industry observers say it could be competitors seeking higher visibility, third-party marketers using “black-hat” tactics, or external actors attempting to distort trust during the high season.
“Who benefits from this?” JFTB asked pointedly. “When leading agencies are suddenly pushed down in rankings, potential beneficiaries include those seeking quick online visibility or manipulating client perception.”
The company called on Google to “investigate and disclose the origin of these attacks so that customers can trust what they see.”
COLLECTIVE RESPONSE
In a rare show of unity within Phuket’s fiercely competitive real estate sector, JFTB has invited other agencies to join a collective appeal to Google demanding removal of fraudulent reviews and full transparency about their source.
A growing number of agencies ‒ including Phuket.Net, Phuket Realtor, SEA Property, Storm Real Estate, Siam Expat Property and Empire Estates Phuket ‒ have been named as targets of the same coordinated patterns.
The appeal calls for: Immediate removal of fraudulent reviews; Disclosure of reviewer-origin data; and Stronger verification for Google Business reviews in Thailand.
“Standing together is the only way to protect clients and the integrity of Phuket’s real estate market,” JFTB said.
Thailand’s defamation laws are among the strictest in the region, and false allegations can carry criminal penalties, making many companies cautious about speaking publicly. However, agencies now argue that silence only emboldens abusers.
“Open, transparent communication is crucial,” JFTB stated. “We will continue to document, report and expose every suspicious pattern. Clients deserve truth; Phuket deserves fair play.”
The fake-reviews issue also intersects with national consumer-protection and anti-money-laundering reforms. The government is reviewing the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) to tighten oversight of real estate agents and ownership structures.
One legal team argues that digital-advertising transparency should align with new national standards, especially in industries where cross-border transactions are common.
The broader concern is that Phuket’s online property ecosystem ‒ from ads to reviews to listings ‒ may have become too easy to manipulate.
With more than B1 billion flowing through digital property channels annually, a single rating shift can directly affect client decisions, sales and livelihoods.
For now, agencies are banding together ‒ a rare occurrence in Phuket’s competitive market ‒ to demand accountability not just from rivals but from the world’s largest search and advertising platform.
Their message is clear: this is not business as usual.
“We are not asking for special treatment,” said one agency representative. “We’re asking for a fair playing field, where real service, not fake reviews, determines success.”
GOOGLE’S RESPONSE
Google Thailand has now replied to the formal complaint ‒ but with little comfort for local firms.
“Please note that Google Thailand is a sales support and marketing support services company, which does not operate any Google product, including Google Business Profiles and Google Search. These are owned and operated by Google LLC, a company based in the United States,” said the response.
“Thus, Google Thailand can’t remove, block, or restrict access to search results. To ensure your request is reviewed by the right people, please submit your request to Google LLC using the online notification form,” it added.
By amazing coincidence, JFTB reported that 15 of the fake reviews it had identified were suddenly removed last week. The remainder, however, are still online.