Locksmith Spam - It never ends...

Dino · Feb 24, 2015

Having a New York locksmith client for several years now, we've accepted that locksmith spam is part of the territory. It's not nearly as bad as it used to be, but still persists, by some of the same culprits, we think.

Every few weeks or so, a spammy listing pops up at the top of local search for Locksmith Brooklyn. My client calls me in a panic because he knows the company that keeps doing this. It's the same thing every time. I just don't know how they're able to game the system with a local listing that is brand new, has no url link, no description or content other than a category and bogus name of the business, BROOKLYN LOCKSMITH.

They seem to violate plenty of quality guidelines yet there they are, right at the top of search.

We report them each time and after about a week, Google removes the listing.

Anyway, does anyone have any other suggestions to deal with this? Maybe there is something we haven't tried yet.

Thanks,
Dino

Linda Buquet · Feb 24, 2015

You could report at the Google forum and send me the link and have me escalate.

That will get it directly to the spam team. Explain the situation and maybe they can find the loophole this guy is exploiting and plug it up?

Dino · Feb 24, 2015

OK, my client thinks he knows who is doing this so I will check with him first to see what I can find out and will report in the forum. Thanks for offering your help.

Linda Buquet · Feb 24, 2015

If your client does not want to get in a local feud for turning him in, be sure no name or link to site - just link to G+ L page. Otherwise he might see that post come up 1st if he Google's his name. Oops never mind, it's a fake name.

Dino · Feb 25, 2015

Hi Linda:

Thanks for your help. I've asked my client for information and will make it available when I get it. Here's the forum post:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/business/technical-issue/uxcMR9fPPGE

I've also attached a screenshot, though you can see the same thing by just searching Locksmith Brooklyn.

Regards,
Dino

Linda Buquet · Feb 25, 2015

Thanks Dino,

If it helps any, here is a G+ Business page - with an email address too: https://plus.google.com/117732518349797541070/about

I escalated for you.

Dino · Feb 26, 2015

I appreciate the escalation. I know there may be some things you won't be able to reveal, but please keep me posted on as much as you can. I'd be interested to know what loophole they found to get such prime real estate, and what Google is doing to close it.

Linda Buquet · Feb 26, 2015

Dino said:
I appreciate the escalation. I know there may be some things you won't be able to reveal, but please keep me posted on as much as you can. I'd be interested to know what loophole they found to get such prime real estate, and what Google is doing to close it.

Ya I'm not sure what loophole he's using to get listed and Google does not talk about stuff like that.

But there is no ranking loophole really I don't think. They are ranking due to the exact match name AND the high authority domain - Google.com

Linda Buquet · Feb 26, 2015

Found another G+ Page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/114577000849148310803/about

That one links to a Yelp page which MAY be the actual business that's creating these fake pages. And there is another email on that page.

Dino · Mar 4, 2015

So the listing is gone, but a another one just popped up in its place. Check this out. The new listing is at the top of search results, probably because it links to a Yelp profile, but the Yelp profile is fake too. I know this because they stole a picture of my client...literally standing in front of his store with my client's business name all over the place!

Linda, these guys are clearly going to keep doing this. I doubt there is a way Google can prevent them specifically from dong it. These guys will just keep making new, fake listings over and over again, but perhaps there is a way we can fast track the report a problem feature whenever we see a new listing pop up. If we can get them shut down faster, that would certainly help.

Also, I want to make sure Google goes after the right company. Can you please make sure they know that the picture is my client, the victim in this case, not the culprit?

As always, thanks for your help.

Dino

---------- Post Merged at 04:03 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:59 PM ----------

OK, correction...

The Yelp link is to locksmiths on Yelp in general. My client just happens to be on that page so they did not steal an image from my client after all. My mistake. Regardless, it is still another fake listing and violates quality guidelines.

Linda Buquet · Mar 4, 2015

Yep that's what they normally do is link to search results page of an authority site.

Can you give me the link so I don't have to go digging and searching?

Trying to cover SMX right now.

Locksmith Spam - It never ends...

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