Quincy Employee Ordered To Pay $34,500 For Fake Yelp Review Of Competitor
QUINCY (CBS) – An employee of a Quincy jewelry store was ordered to pay up by a jury after posting a fake Yelp review on a competitor's page.
"No one should have to go through this, not children, adults, elderly," said Stephen Blumberg, owner of Stephen Leigh Jewelers.
Blumberg sued Adam Jacobs, an employee at nearby Tooties Fine Jewelry in Quincy, claiming he posted false information on the business review website in August of 2013 bashing his store and telling people to "go elsewhere."
"He told the people we were thieves, that we were cold blooded thieves. I've never been convicted of anything in my life," said Blumberg.
Last month, a jury agreed with Blumberg that the Yelp post caused "emotional distress" and ordered Jacobs to pay him $34,500.
Blumberg said the post was up for several month and he was able to track down Jacobs by looking at his other Yelp posts.
"I talked to owners of businesses he had been to, and after getting confirmation of three or four people that that is the person that belongs to Adam J., Adam Jacobs I knew," said Blumberg.
Jacobs wasn't at Tooties on Wednesday.
The store's owner, who is also his father, wouldn't go on camera, but said he is glad the jury didn't find his jewelry store responsible of any wrongdoing.
"We are disappointed and disagee with the decision involving Adam. Regardless of the verdict, however, we believe that the damages awarded were not based on any facts, but were entirely speculative," his lawyer Allan Levin said.
Levin said they may be filing post trial motions and possibly appealing the jury's decision.
