Google Sell Listings
Have you ever received these robocalls…from Google!?!
- Buy your Google Listing on My Business NOW!
- Buy your Google Search page NOW!
- Buy your chance to get included in Google Maps NOW!
- Update your front page listing NOW!
- Claim your free website NOW!
- Guarantee your top placement in Google search results NOW!
Google says,
“NO! We don’t sell listings…or anything else!”
At least by robocalls, that is. They never, ever place robocalls. And, all emails from Google will be from from an email address ending in “@google.com”.
We, ourselves, have received dozens of these calls, and as a business owner, you probably have, too. Whether it’s a robocall or a live person, they are illegal. However, there are many unscrupulous, dishonest individuals and businesses who use these tactics to give business owners such as you the impression that all the resources and treasures Google has to offer can be had by just buying one of services that they (the callers) are selling. Not true!
So what should you or your employees do if they receive one of the these robocalls or emails?
Google says:
- Never, ever respond to one of these calls or emails.
- Delete the emails without opening any of the attachments that may have been sent with them.
So when might you actually receive a real call from Google?
- To verify your business for Google Maps or Google My Business.
- To confirm your business details for Google Maps or Google My Business.
- To provide information about Google AdWords, Google Play, or other Google products.
All calls will be from a real person.
So what are some of the many Google scams to beware of via phone or emails?
- Selling My Business Google listings. (A Google My Business listing is free!)
- Selling Google Search pages.
- Guaranteeing placement of business places on top of search page results.
- Offering to “claim your free website”.
- Charging for being included in Google Search, Places, or Maps.
- Offering a business the opportunity to “update their front page listing”.
- Claiming that a business will be deleted from Google Plus local listings or Google Places.
Other scams include:
- Google Lotteries, Contests, or Lotto
- Google Wallet claims or invoices
- Google Account Recovery via SMS Messages
- Gmail Update Phishing
- Google Zagat Job Scam
- Google AdSense Scam
- Tax Payment
- Blackmail and extortion
More information about these individual scams, what they entail, and what to do can be found on the Google Help’s FAQ page on how to avoid and report Google scams. This page also includes specific examples, such as the “official” notification for the “Google Lotto”, more resources, and much more information concerning particular scams.
Google also asks for your help in reporting scams and other types of fraud in addition to giving you specific information as to what to do.
In short:
What do you do if you receive a robocall?
Hang up.
How do you prevent unwanted calls?
Go to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Robocalls resources website.
How can you protect yourself from these types of calls in the future?
Check the FTC’s tips on how to handle these calls, as well as register your personal number with the National Do Not Call Registry.
What do you do if you continue to receive suspicious calls?
File a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.
What can you do to help Google track down the robocallers?
Contact Google directly via their web form.
Many businesses have lost money to these deceitful, unprincipled telemarketing schemes and unscrupulous scams. Being aware of their tactics is the first means of defense against them. Make sure your employees know what the various strategies are that are used. What to do…or better yet…what not to do is the next major feat. Do your employees know what to do? And finally, Google wants to know when their name is being used illegally and encourages anyone who receives these types of calls and emails, and especially if they’ve been victimized, to please contact them. Although there will always be new ways of attempting to defraud, reporting these types of abuses is the only way to limit the damage they can cause..