More threads by Wirenut

Wirenut

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2019
Messages
105
Reaction score
39
I have a few questions about using the Redressal Form.

I have noticed a bunch of other listings for electrician in my area. They all follow the the same type of layout:

Fake name (generally 4 words, doesn't match any licensed electrician company)
Phone number (Doesn't Google to any company, just random results like any telemarketer number)
2 reviews (generic, mostly just star ratings)

This is it, there is no address or website to report.

The Redressal Form wants my own information, my company name that is being impacted, and the address of the offender which I don't have.

How do I report it without their address? And will this effect my own company at all? I don't want it to seem like I am attacking the competition and Google hold it against me.
 
The "address" field on the redressal form is asking for the Google Maps URL for the phony or spammy listing. You can find that URL by using one of a number of chrome extensions which will provide that information while you are viewing the Maps listing. The extension I use most of the time for this is:
 
It doesn't require that you enter the address, you just need to enter the URL for the listing.

I also list the name of the listing I'm reporting under the "name of the entity impacted" field.

1575981469944.png
 
Oh wow, so I did it completely wrong when I entered my own name, email, and business name as the one that is getting impacted ☹☹

I thought the point of it was that their fake listing was impacting a legitimate business, and that is was I was supposed to enter.

Am I going to regret this? 😩
 
As long as you didn't put your own business as the link to the listing, you should be okay.
 
You also need to have pretty good documentation that the listing is "fake". Just because you know they're fake intuitively, doesn't mean Google will agree. There were a couple of posts here in recent months where people gave suggestions about how to effectively take down fakes, search for it.
 
In my situation there is very little to actually report. Only this:

Fake name (generally 4 words, doesn't match any licensed electrician company nor any real business in my state)
Phone number (doesn't Google to any company, just random results like any telemarketer number)
2 reviews (generic, mostly just star ratings)

There are about 8 of these listings that follow the same exact scheme spread across 3 towns near me. I can tell that they are fake and all associated with each other, but proving that to Google isn't easy.
 

Login / Register

Already a member?   LOG IN
Not a member yet?   REGISTER

LocalU Event

  Promoted Posts

New advertising option: A review of your product or service posted by a Sterling Sky employee. This will also be shared on the Sterling Sky & LSF Twitter accounts, our Facebook group, LinkedIn, and both newsletters. More...
Top Bottom