When Reviews Vanish: My Story of Building Trust — Then Losing My Google Profile
As an independent AT&T Business Consultant, I’ve spent years helping companies save money and streamline their business wireless services. One of the most important parts of building that trust has been collecting real feedback from clients.
Over time, I earned 28 five-star Google reviews from satisfied business owners and managers. These weren’t purchased or gamed — just honest reviews from people I’ve helped personally.
Proof That These Reviews Existed
This screenshot—taken before my suspension—shows the live plugin on my site still displaying all 28 five-star reviews:
My Full Story on Seolutions.com
I first shared the detailed breakdown of what happened in this post on Seolutions.com: “Google Business Profile was Suspended”. It covers:
- How I started with only 5-star reviews and no policy violations.
- Why Reddit users flagged my profile after I asked genuine questions on r/GoogleMyBusiness.
- How I was suspended twice—even after the first appeal—and then blocked from appealing again.
Early Issues: Reviews Disappearing
Right after launching the profile, several clients’ reviews wouldn’t show. I worked with Google support for months before the missing reviews finally appeared. That’s when the total reached 28 five-star reviews from real clients in Tampa Bay.
I Posted on Reddit… Then My Profile Was Suspended
In early 2025, I joined the r/GoogleMyBusiness subreddit to ask respectful questions about review patterns and visibility. Within a week, my Google Business Profile was suspended without warning.
A Second Suspension and No Way to Appeal
My first appeal succeeded—but not for long. I later found out some subreddit users had flagged my profile on purpose. One user messaged to say they intended to get me suspended again. After the second suspension:
- The Google appeals form failed to load.
- I was locked out—no notice, no appeal, no path forward.
Shifting to LinkedIn for Reviews
I decided it was time to focus on platforms I control. If we’ve worked together and you’d like to help support what I do, please leave a recommendation on my LinkedIn profile:
Leave a Recommendation on LinkedIn
Final Thoughts
I never paid for reviews. I never cut corners. Every one of those 28 five-star reviews came from real business owners whose trust I earned through honest service.
This experience showed me how vulnerable small businesses are to systems they don’t control. So now, I’m building something stronger—on my own terms.
If you’re a business owner needing help with AT&T wireless solutions, or if you’ve experienced something similar and want to share, I’d love to connect.
Visit me at: WirelessConsultant.net
