Competitor taking advantage of Google Maps

[2022NYMETS]

Hey Guys,

Looking for advice. I’ve tried reporting to google several Times however, google makes you jump through hoops just to report something then it seems like it just gets lost in the millions of reports they probably receive. I’m in the locksmith industry and run a legit business & abide by googles rules having only one service area listing. However I’m getting buried by competition who have multiple. This one guys in particular has 5+ locations all in the same county. He builds new websites and gets new phone numbers for each listing however goes by the same name and if you call the number it all goes to the same call center or office they have. I’ve given up as it seems he has a new listing pop up almost every few weeks. These are the 5 I can find in my county but he also does this elsewhere. Can anyone help!?

Locksmith Men Riverhead
Locksmith Men - Google Search
Locksmith Men South Shore - Google Search
Locksmith Men North Shore

Locksmith Men Shirley

 

[keyserholiday]

You can report them via the redressal form: Business Redressal Complaint Form - Google Business Profile Help

 

[jonthefellow]

@keyserholiday How long should I expect to wait for the impact of the redressal form? I'm now on my second round of forms reporting exactly the same businesses that I did back in September to no effect. Am I just not patient enough?

 

[Larry Linson]

Hey Guys,

Looking for advice. I’ve tried reporting to google several Times however, google makes you jump through hoops just to report something then it seems like it just gets lost in the millions of reports they probably receive. I’m in the locksmith industry and run a legit business & abide by googles rules having only one service area listing. However I’m getting buried by competition who have multiple. This one guys in particular has 5+ locations all in the same county. He builds new websites and gets new phone numbers for each listing however goes by the same name and if you call the number it all goes to the same call center or office they have. I’ve given up as it seems he has a new listing pop up almost every few weeks. These are the 5 I can find in my county but he also does this elsewhere. Can anyone help!?

Locksmith Men Riverhead
Locksmith Men - Google Search
Locksmith Men South Shore - Google Search
Locksmith Men North Shore

Locksmith Men Shirley

I guess I am not following what these people are doing wrong. Locksmithy is a mobile business. Is the complaint that they have a seperate GBP for each of these target locations? They are clearly a SAB right?

 

[system32s]

I guess I am not following what these people are doing wrong. Locksmithy is a mobile business. Is the complaint that they have a seperate GBP for each of these target locations? They are clearly a SAB right?

You're right Larry, Nothing is wrong with my listings. There is many locksmith companies out there using same strategy, Also few franchise mobile locksmiths, Using same name on all SAB listings an so on...

 

[keyserholiday]

You're right Larry, Nothing is wrong with my listings. There is many locksmith companies out there using same strategy, Also few franchise mobile locksmiths, Using same name on all SAB listings an so on...

I am sorry but you are incorrect. Those business profiles all violate Google's TOS and if you attempt it, you will get your profiles and account suspended.

 

[system32s]

I am sorry but you are incorrect. Those business profiles all violate Google's TOS and if you attempt it, you will get your profiles and account suspended.

Can you tell me, How mobile locksmith franchise is able to make multiple listings in same county very close to each other? First one i can think is Pop A Lock, Or maybe Sure Lock & Key Locksmith .
Most of them tame their phone numbers are going to same call center.
Each one have it's own entity registred with The State Of NY. They're different businesses. It also can be for example Pro Locksmith, Owned by same person. I own multiple locksmith businesses in New York, I also have one business in Brooklyn, NY. I always have to verify my listings manually, Video verification. I just don't understand, I never had feeling to hurt someone's business, We all have families and people work for these companies they have families as well. No matter what kind of business are you in, There is always competition. He's right about a lot of fake listings getting verified in our area, Because i see almost every day [City] Locksmith listings in different towns, Usually they use commercial plaza's, Taco Bell, Fast food restaurant addresses. 99% is owned by Israeli lead generation companies and they just sub contract to freelancer Israeli locksmiths and they just scam, Rip off people, Over charge, bait and switch. Very common in Locksmith industry. Anyway, Good luck to my competitor.

 

[keyserholiday]

Can you tell me, How mobile locksmith franchise is able to make multiple listings in same county very close to each other? First one i can think is Pop A Lock, Or maybe Sure Lock & Key Locksmith .
Most of them tame their phone numbers are going to same call center.
Each one have it's own entity registred with The State Of NY. They're different businesses. It also can be for example Pro Locksmith, Owned by same person. I own multiple locksmith businesses in New York, I also have one business in Brooklyn, NY. I always have to verify my listings manually, Video verification. I just don't understand, I never had feeling to hurt someone's business, We all have families and people work for these companies they have families as well. No matter what kind of business are you in, There is always competition. He's right about a lot of fake listings getting verified in our area, Because i see almost every day [City] Locksmith listings in different towns, Usually they use commercial plaza's, Taco Bell, Fast food restaurant addresses. 99% is owned by Israeli lead generation companies and they just sub contract to freelancer Israeli locksmiths and they just scam, Rip off people, Over charge, bait and switch. Very common in Locksmith industry. Anyway, Good luck to my competitor.

There is a major difference between a franchise and a lead generation network. These profiles engage in fake reviews and are not at real or staffed locations. Pop-a-lock is at real locations.