Red flags that end the call
Guaranteed removal of anything. Flat fee regardless of URL count or platform. No intake questions about your content. Pressure to pay before classification. Claims of "Google insider relationships." These are scams or incompetence — sometimes both.
Legitimate firms say no to cases they can't help. If every URL you send gets a yes and a quote, be suspicious.
Questions worth asking
What's your success rate on this platform for this violation type? Who does the work — in-house specialists or outsourced templates? What happens if the first dispute fails? Is monitoring included? Will you coordinate with my counsel or step on their toes?
Ask for a written scope: URLs covered, methods attempted, escalation included, timeline ranges, refund or credit policy if removal fails after good-faith effort.
Contract and ethics
Never pay for removal of truthful journalism through illegal means — any firm suggesting hacking, bribery, or fake DMCA claims is exposing you to criminal liability. Walk away.
Erasiq publishes our process publicly because vetting should be easy. Compare us against anyone else using this checklist, then talk to our negative content removal services team if the fit looks right.