Need Help Reporting/Deleting Scammy SAB Listing

[Coloradoug]

How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

There is a lead gen service at the top of the maps section that hides their address in their Google listing, but I tracked down the address on their website, and... it's a parking lot. A an actual daily fee parking lot, and the address is even listed in Google Maps as a parking lot.

I was going to Edit their listing on Map maker, but can't find them. I'm assuming it's because they have their address hidden in the GMB profile. Can't locate their GMB listing either.

Does anyone know how to report this lead gen service, or on which Google product I need to report them? When I click Suggest an edit in their listing in the maps section it says it will be posted in Map Maker, but like I said, I can't find them on Map Maker anywhere.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

Hi Doug,

Suggest an edit should work even if address is hidden. That's the best way I know of.

 

[Coloradoug]

Re: How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

I tried editing it through the local maps listing at first, but edit apparently wasn't approved. If you search furnace repair denver it's the listing with the same title, and they have 5 reviews. Still trying to find them on Map Maker, but no luck so far.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

No if address is hidden you won't find them on MM.

Need to edit maps listing or GMB page.

(Sorry broken hand, can't type much.)

 

[Coloradoug]

Re: How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

Sorry about your hand! I finally found their GMB listing, but it doesn't allow me to suggest an edit regarding their location, which is listed only as Denver, CO. The only piece of their info worth attempting to edit was changing their business category to Internet Marketing Service. Is there anything else I can try?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: How Do You Report Spammy Business That Hides Address In GMB?

No sorry about that... from what I understand about the situation, editing address is not the right move. Can't if it's hidden.

Lead gen sites aren't allowed. And listings in fake locations like parking lots are not allowed either.

So what you want to do is click "does not exist", then for reason "spam".

 

[Coloradoug]

I guess the new tactic for spammy GMB listings is to use a parking lot for their address, and then hide the address and claim they are a Service Area Business. This prevents anyone from a) finding their business on Map Maker, and b) being able to Edit the listing in Map Maker so a Regional Lead can have it deleted.

This is the listing in question: https://goo.gl/maps/<wbr>uy93ZNBLNnS2

I submitted a post in Questions For The Community, and the RL who removed these guys' listing last time said he remembered them, but because it's a SAB he isn't sure how to proceed.

Any ideas on what has to be done to have a spammy listing that's setup as a SAB deleted?

 

[whitespark]

Joy Hawkins might have some advice. I guess I'm wondering... How do they postcard verify a listing at a parking lot? Or, how do they manage to get phone verification on a listing like this?

 

[Linda Buquet]

I guess the new tactic for spammy GMB listings is to use a parking lot for their address, and then hide the address and claim they are a Service Area Business. This prevents anyone from a) finding their business on Map Maker, and b) being able to Edit the listing in Map Maker so a Regional Lead can have it deleted.

This is the listing in question: https://goo.gl/maps/<wbr>uy93ZNBLNnS2

I submitted a post in Questions For The Community, and the RL who removed these guys' listing last time said he remembered them, but because it's a SAB he isn't sure how to proceed.

Any ideas on what has to be done to have a spammy listing that's setup as a SAB deleted?

Doug since you already had a thread about this same listing and since I had already helped you with some suggestions there - merged the 2 threads so folks would not waste time telling you the same thing I already did.

Best thing is to edit listing as I said above, to report it as spam. The RL said he wasn't sure I think because you were trying to edit address on a listing with address hidden, but as I explained above, that's not the right solution. Need to mark as spam.

Then to get it approved post at the Map Maker forum explaining and ask for approval of edit.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Hey Doug,

The address on that listing is 10335 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Denver, CO 80238 which appears to be a house, not a parking lot.

Street View: https://goo.gl/maps/1Xu3c7MArqH2

Can you let me know how you concluded it was a parking lot?

However, I'm pretty sure it is still complete spam as when I called the business they answered as "Denver Best Appliance Repair which already has a listing here: https://goo.gl/maps/f7Zk1ju4YmH2

As far as where to report them, I'd say the GMB forum is your best bet.

I'll pass this one along to them and let you know when they respond.


Thanks for pinging me Darren.

 

[Coloradoug]

Thanks Linda. Sorry, I was trying to post in the correct forum and include the latest information.

In response to Whitespark's reply... I have no idea how they could postcard verify the listing. The address is an actual parking lot where the public can pay to park for a few hours during the day. In doing some research over the weekend, I saw some talk about using parking lot addresses being the new way these guys manipulate local maps listing to make it tougher to get them taken down.

 

[Linda Buquet]

The reviews tend to imply these guys are up to no good.

 

[Coloradoug]

Hey Joy,
Sorry, I must have pasted the wrong listing in previously. Here is the listing in question:

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place...!1s0x876c78d38cd06ff1:0xe7fed8285b61cfb?hl=en

Regarding the address for the listing above, I went to their website and found the address they had listed, which matched the 80204 zip code in their GMB listing. Address: 1398 Tremont Pl Denver CO 80204

I drove to the address and sure enough it was a public parking lot.

That Best Appliance Repair listing was sent to me by someone who was researching this over the weekend, and he concluded that the two entities were related somehow, although in different categories.