When a man snatched a child’s hat at a baseball game, the internet erupted in fury—but the anger landed on the wrong company. Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek, a paving firm in Zgorzelec, Poland, found itself at the center of a review bombing storm not because of anything it did, but because its name resembled the real culprit’s business.

4 related posts

Google Reviews Dropped to 1.2 Stars: After mistaken identity, Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek’s Google rating fell to 1.2 stars (Reddit (social discussion forum)) · Trustpilot Reviews Count: 61 reviews on Trustpilot (Trustpilot (consumer review platform)) · Two Separate Companies: Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek vs Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
  • Late August 2025: Hat snatching at US Open (The New York Times (major news organization))
  • Days after: Online mob begins review bombing Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek (Reddit (social discussion forum))
  • Shortly after: Piotr Szczerek issues apology (The New York Times (major news organization))
4What’s next
  • Platforms begin removing fake reviews, but 61 reviews remain on Trustpilot (Trustpilot (consumer review platform))
  • Roman Szkaradek may take legal action, though no formal announcement has been made (The New York Times (major news organization))

The key facts below summarize the damage inflicted on the wrong business.

Key facts about Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek
Company Name Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek
Location Zgorzelec, Poland
Google Rating (post-incident) 1.2 stars (as per Reddit)
Trustpilot Reviews 61 reviews (as of last check)
Correct Company Involved Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki

Did Piotr Szczerek apologize?

What did Piotr Szczerek steal?

  • Piotr Szczerek, CEO of Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki, snatched a child’s hat during a US Open baseball game in New York (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • The act was caught on video and quickly went viral on social media (Facebook (social media platform)).

When was the apology issued?

  • Szczerek issued a public apology days after the incident (The New York Times (major news organization)).

What did the apology say?

  • In his apology, Szczerek called his actions a “huge mistake” and apologized to the child and his family (The New York Times (major news organization)).

The implication: Szczerek acknowledged wrongdoing, but the apology did little to stop the online backlash that had already been misdirected at the wrong company.

What is drogbruk?

What services does drogbruk offer?

  • Drogbruk is a paving and construction company based in Poland (Yandex Maps (geolocation service)).
  • Services include road construction, paving, and related infrastructure work.

How many drogbruk companies exist?

  • There are at least two separate entities: Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek and Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki (Reddit (social discussion forum)).
  • Both operate in the paving sector but are independently owned.

What is the difference between Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek and Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek?

  • Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek is registered in Zgorzelec and operated by owner Roman Szkaradek (Yandex Maps (geolocation service)).
  • Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki is the company owned by Piotr Szczerek, the CEO who snatched the hat (The New York Times (major news organization)).

The pattern: Two businesses share a very similar name—one became an innocent victim of the internet’s anger.

What did Piotr Szczerek do?

What was the incident at the US Open?

  • During a baseball game at the US Open, Szczerek reached over and snatched a boy’s hat from his head (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • The video of the act circulated widely on social media platforms.

How did the public react?

  • Public outrage was immediate and global (Facebook (social media platform)).
  • Users quickly identified Szczerek as a CEO and began targeting his company online.

What consequences did he face?

  • Szczerek’s company, Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki, received a wave of negative reviews, but the mistaken identity meant that the review bombing also hit Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek (Reddit (social discussion forum)).

Why this matters: The CEO’s personal actions triggered a cascade of online retaliation that spilled onto an unrelated business.

How did the name mix-up lead to wrong reviews?

Which company was mistakenly targeted?

  • Online mobs review-bombed Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek instead of the correct company owned by Szczerek (Reddit (social discussion forum)).

What was the impact on reviews?

  • Roman Szkaradek’s Google rating dropped to 1.2 stars as a result of hundreds of 1-star reviews (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Trustpilot shows 61 reviews for the company, many of which are negative and tied to the incident (Trustpilot (consumer review platform)).

Why did the mix-up happen?

  • The two companies share a very similar brand name: “Drog-Bruk” (Reddit (social discussion forum)).
  • Angry users searched for “Drog-Bruk” and left reviews on the first listing they found, which belonged to Roman Szkaradek.

The pattern: A simple name overlap created a perfect storm of mistaken-identity damage that no algorithm could prevent.

The trade-off

Roman Szkaradek’s company now bears the scars of an incident it had nothing to do with. The same viral speed that made the hat-snatching story famous also made his business a casualty—and rebuilding trust takes far longer than destroying it.

What is the current state of Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek’s online reputation?

What are the latest ratings on Google and Trustpilot?

  • Google rating remains at approximately 1.2 stars as of the latest reports (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Trustpilot lists 61 reviews with a 1.5-star average for www.drogbruk.pl (Trustpilot (consumer review platform)).

Has the company taken any legal action?

  • No formal legal action has been announced by Roman Szkaradek, though it remains a possibility (The New York Times (major news organization)).

What steps are being taken to correct the record?

  • Some platforms have begun removing fake reviews, but the process is slow (Facebook (social media platform)).
  • The company has issued statements clarifying the mistake, but many consumers remain unaware of the distinction.

The catch: Even if all fake reviews are removed, the damage to the company’s search presence and reputation may persist for years.

Upsides

  • Platforms like Trustpilot and Google are reviewing and removing fraudulent reviews.
  • The story has raised awareness about mistaken-identity review bombing, potentially helping other small businesses.
  • Roman Szkaradek’s company continues operating and serving customers.

Downsides

  • The company’s online ratings remain severely damaged, affecting future customer trust.
  • Prospective clients searching for the business see a 1.2-star rating before any context.
  • No guarantee that all fake reviews will be removed, and some platforms lack robust moderation.

Timeline

  • Late August 2025: Piotr Szczerek snatches a child’s hat at a US Open baseball game in New York (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Days after incident: Video goes viral; online mob identifies company “Drog-Bruk” and begins review bombing (Reddit (social discussion forum)).
  • Shortly after: Piotr Szczerek issues a public apology for his actions (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Following days: Spillover reviews impact Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek; company’s rating plunges to 1.2 stars (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Current: Roman Szkaradek’s company still facing reputational damage; platforms begin removing fake reviews (Facebook (social media platform)).

What’s confirmed vs. what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Piotr Szczerek snatched a hat and apologized (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek received mistakenly negative reviews (Reddit (social discussion forum)).
  • Two separate companies exist with similar names (The New York Times (major news organization)).

What’s unclear

  • Whether Roman Szkaradek will pursue legal action (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Long-term impact on his business revenue (The New York Times (major news organization)).
  • Exactly how many reviews were fake vs. real (Reddit (social discussion forum)).

Voices from the story

“They attacked the wrong company, Hat Thief’s company is Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki, not Roman’s.”

— Reddit user (r/poland)

“I made a huge mistake. I apologize to the child and his family.”

— Piotr Szczerek, apology statement (The New York Times (major news organization))

“Worst company ever! They stole a hat!” — a typical misdirected review on Trustpilot (paraphrased)

— Trustpilot review for Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek (Trustpilot (consumer review platform))

The entire episode reveals how quickly online rage can turn a case of mistaken identity into a real-world business crisis. For Roman Szkaradek, the choice is clear: invest in legal action and reputation repair, or accept a permanently damaged online presence that will deter new customers for years.

Additional sources

rankvisely.com, bernsteincrisismanagement.com, instagram.com, heterodoxacademy.substack.com, trustpilot.com, yelp.com

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Frequently asked questions

Why did the hat-snatching go viral?

The act was caught on video and shared widely on social media, sparking outrage because it involved a wealthy CEO publicly harassing a child at a family event (The New York Times (major news organization)).

How can I distinguish between the two Drog-Bruk companies?

Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek is based in Zgorzelec, while Drog-Bruk A.P. Szczerek Blaszki is the company owned by Piotr Szczerek. Check the exact business name and registration details before leaving a review (Yandex Maps (geolocation service)).

Is Roman Szkaradek responsible for the hat incident?

No. Roman Szkaradek has no connection to Piotr Szczerek or the hat-snatching. His company was targeted only because of the similar name (Reddit (social discussion forum)).

What is the Trustpilot rating for Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek?

Trustpilot shows 61 reviews for www.drogbruk.pl, with an average score of approximately 1.5 stars (Trustpilot (consumer review platform)).

How many reviews were left by mistake?

It’s unclear exactly how many of the 61 Trustpilot reviews and hundreds of Google reviews are from the mistaken-identity attack, but the vast majority appear to reference the hat incident (Reddit (social discussion forum)).

What steps did Roman Szkaradek take to address the issue?

He has issued statements clarifying the mistake and has worked with review platforms to flag fraudulent reviews (Facebook (social media platform)).

Are there any official statements from Drog-Bruk Roman Szkaradek?

Yes, the company has posted clarifications on its social media and contact points, but no full press release has been published (Facebook (social media platform)).

Will the fake reviews be removed?

Some platforms have already begun removing reviews that violate their policies, but the process is slow and not all reviews may be removed (The New York Times (major news organization)).

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