Scammers Are Blackmailing Restaurants Across The Us With One-star Google Reviews

For the past week, a handful of high-profile and Michelin-starred restaurants from San Francisco to New York City have been targeted in an extortion campaign weaponizing Google reviews. It appears to be a coordinated effort: The restaurants receive a barrage of one-star reviews on Google and then the owners receive an apologetic email asking for a $75 Google Play gift card in order to stop the digital bombing.