Google Calling Businesses to Keep Listings Active?

[NeptuneMoon]

Anyone heard of Google calling businesses to "verify" their Maps/Local listings and if you don't take the call your listing might get suspended? Sounds kinda fishy to me, but I figured I'd ask you all.

Thanks!

 

[Dustybones]

That's Gotta be a scam or one of the vendors cold calling for business. I usually like to keep them going just to learn. There is a great post where Linda records a scam.

Google "Places" Scammer - Caught in Lies on Tape!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Anyone heard of Google calling businesses to "verify" their Maps/Local listings and if you don't take the call your listing might get suspended? Sounds kinda fishy to me, but I figured I'd ask you all.

There are definitely moderators that DO call and if you answer wrong OR if they call 3 times and don't get an answer they will sometimes delete the listing.

However there are also scammers that make calls like the one Dusty linked to.

Key is most calls that are really from Google come from the 650 area code. So if it's 650 and they ask about anything related to location or ask if you see customers at your location or anything, then it's Google. Google mods also often, have Indian accents, but not always.

So those are some hints to help you tell the difference.

But Google does not use robo-callers and will not ask for password or try to sell you on anything or get you to pay for anything. They also never talk about ranking or visibility or 7 packs.

If they call it's only for quality control to be sure you are a real business and located where you say you are.

 

[NeptuneMoon]

Thanks!

 

[Tim Colling]

I'm SO glad that I discovered this forum. I keep getting calls like this. I just got one today, from "Ranking Company" (caller ID) at 323-429-4415. It offers the choice of pressing 1 to "verify" our listing or 7 to be removed from their list. I pressed 7 of course. Now, the interesting thing is that I did that a week ago when I got the same call from the same number.

It's a shame but people get tricked by this enough that it is worthwhile for the scammers to continue doing it, I suppose. <sigh>

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Tim,

Yes those robo-callers are running rampant! Makes it so much harder for honest local search consultants.

 

[HurricaneK8]

I got a "scammy" call yesterday. I picked up the phone "Good Morning, Avalanche Search Marketing, This is Kate speaking" and they answered really slowly with a pencil scratching in the background "You said 'Avalanche....Search... Marketing'?"..... I immediately rolled my eyes, which I'm pretty sure he could hear through the phone.

The conversation went on a bit "So you guys do marketing then?" "Search engine marketing? Is that SEO?"....

I asked who was calling and he immediately said "Is the 'BIG BOSS' in?" and I said "No, but I can take a message and have him call you back when he is available." and he asked for his name, and said he would call back... I told him that if he called back, he would reach me so the best way to get in contact with him is to tell me who was calling & give me a number and I'd have him call me back.

He said he'd call back later and try to reach him then... (obviously ignoring what I just said, he'd reach me-- not the 'big boss'...).

I expect a call back any day offering some STELLAR services....