Best "choice" to delete dupe listing?

[Jim Froling]

Client created a dupe using same address, phone, URL as his previously listing, just a different DBA. Fearing the wrath of Google when this duplicate is discovered, I want to delete the "new listing". Map Maker giving a number of options:

* Place is Permanently Closed

(My understanding is only client can do this however MM asks for info to support this choice. Hesitant to do so for fear of G taking action against the "established listing. Am also hesitant to say client is an idiot for trying such a thing in 1st place).
​

*Place is a duplicate of another place

(See above re: fear of G taking action against other listing)​

* Place does not exist or is private

(Don't recall ever seeing "private". Could this serve to remove listing from SERP and not raise flag to other listing?)​

I have searched G+ forum, previous posts here and elsewhere but guidance is vague.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Jim,

Have you or they deleted from dash? That's where the violation would come in, is for having it claimed. That could also hold up editing if it's live in dash.

I think I would just call support and be upfront and just say he goofed.
See how they feel it's best to handle it. BUT remove from dash 1st.

 

[Jim Froling]

Hi Linda!
Happy Monday and hope your carpal is behaving.

I don't have them in my dash. I discovered it while doing a ranking report for the "real business". Doesn't look like he verified the listing once he created it. (Whew!...but what was he thinking???)

I'll drop a dime on G. Always scares the hell out of me. Few months back I talked to a good guy there re: another client's overlap in service area. Guy was cool, told me to fix it on my end, he would do the same on his. When I did my part I emailed back to advise and got a reply from different person saying they had a problem and had no idea when it would be fixed. My interpretation: We're gonna let you twist in the wind then rot for eternity. Finally got that worked out with a null edit.

Love you Linda!

 

[Linda Buquet]

I don't have them in my dash. I discovered it while doing a ranking report for the "real business". Doesn't look like he verified the listing once he created it. (Whew!...but what was he thinking???)

Love you Linda!

You are so sweet! Love you too Jim!

I'm confused though...

You said client created. He can't create and have it go live unless it's verified in dash.

But then in this last post you said it "Doesn't look like he verified the listing once he created it." (Again if he created but never verified it would not be live.)

So if it's not claimed/verified/in dash then he likely did not create it, Google probably did.

Why do you think he created it? Did he tell you? If he created it would be in a dash. Maybe a different dash?

Are you ASSUMING he created it, just cuz you found it? Because if it's not verified then it's probably just one Google scraped and created. Your client won't get in trouble if it's an unclaimed scraped dupe. BUT it could hurt ranking of the main listing.

If unsure should ask the client. There's a chance he did create it and it's verified in a different account but just does not look verified.

So I'm confused at what you are seeing. Would help if I could peek at both. If you don't want to post here, please PM me. But I'll answer here in case my answer helps anyone else.