Yes. Competitors can point spammy backlinks at you. Scrape your content. Leave fake reviews. But it is rare and mostly preventable.
How to Protect Yourself
- Monitor backlinks with Search Console. Disavow obvious spam.
- Set up Google Alerts for your brand name.
- Monitor reviews weekly.
- Keep your site secure. HTTPS. Strong passwords.
Honestly? You Are Probably Not a Target
Negative SEO is expensive and risky for the attacker. Most small businesses never encounter it. Worry about writing good content first.