Reporting Spamming Service Area Businesses

[swmaher]

What is the process for reporting spammy service area businesses? If they don't have an address, website, or even a legitimate name what information can you provide to Google to show they are fake?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@swmaher, not much in terms of evidence, and nothing that's sure to work. No matter what, Google will leave up way too many GMB pages that just shouldn't exist.

But in the type of case you described, Google's pretty likely to approve an "Offensive, harmful, or misleading" report.

 

[Yan Gilbert]

You can also use the redressal form if the suggest an edit gets auto denied.

Business Redressal Complaint Form - Google Business Profile Help

And put as much info as possible. If there is nothing to go on, then just put something like "Please remove. There is no evidence this business exists."

 

[j_holtslander]

I’ve had some success from the Maps mobile app reporting those types as “Moved to new location” and then leaving the new location field blank. It’s almost as if this gets some human eyes on it and seemingly 90-95% of the time it’s removed within 24hours.

 

[j_holtslander]

I’ve had some success from the Maps mobile app reporting those types as “Moved to new location” and then leaving the new location field blank. It’s almost as if this gets some human eyes on it and seemingly 90-95% of the time it’s removed within 24hours.

Additionally after it’s removed in this fashion... the address becomes visible if you’ve bookmarked it. This one the other day was actually a PO box inside a Canada Post office:

 

[chrism]

Try calling the number and get any misleading information from there to build your case against them. Then give this to Google.

 

[BenFisher]

Look in the secretary of state as well. Not a silver bullet as some can be sole prop owners.

 

[Gordon.Ligon]

Look in the secretary of state as well. Not a silver bullet as some can be sole prop owners.

If there's no listing in SoS, there should legally be an assumed name, correct? Those are usually done at the county level, and the database search systems can be hit or miss.