re: #107 Obdicut

I’ve started to notice more and more fake negative reviews on Yelp, google, menupages, etc. There’s a pattern of them. One of the schticks is claiming that the place is entirely run by Mexicans who speak no English and are rude, disrespectful, and leer. The funny part was the first time I saw this was for a Vietnamese coffee shop. The next time was for a bakery where, yeah, the guys are Mexican, but they’re solemn, speak perfect English, and have better manners than Jeeves. The language in the two reviews was nearly exactly the same, just minor details shifted around.

Another one I’ve seen is this repeated story of the cashier dropping the change and refusing to make eye contact. The racial element here is brought in by mentioning things like the woman’s ‘headscarf’, ‘long fingernails’, and ‘big gold hoop earrings’.

I’m wondering what the impetus for these is, whether it’s some asshole racist or racists, whether it’s scammers paid to give bad reviews for whatever reason, or what.

I’m not sure if I could dig up the article, but there’s already been Yelp reviewers trying to extort stuff from business owners.