How to identify and report scams on Google Maps and Connect

When you report something suspicious on Google Maps or on Connect, we take it seriously. Keeping Maps and our community a safe space for everyone is one of our priorities.

So how can you identify scams and let us know?

A scam is a fraudulent scheme that deceives people to give away money or personal information. Watch out for messages, emails, or phone calls from unknown contacts that request personal information, or offer a financial transaction. Be careful of links to websites or promises of rewards that “unlock” when you provide personal details or fill in a survey. When in doubt, do not engage, click or fill in any requested information.

For example, a scammer may offer you money or rewards to rate or review a business on Google Maps that you haven’t visited. Once they earn trust, they may demand money in exchange for more similar jobs. They can introduce themselves as a business owner on Google Maps, a Google representative, or even a Local Guide like you. For more tips on spotting scams, check out this Help Center article.

If you find content or a profile that you believe violates our policies on Google Maps, what you can do is:

If you see something suspicious on Connect, use the Report inappropriate content option or start a new post on the How-tos board and tag a Google Moderator.

Thank you for helping us keep Google Maps and Connect safe for everyone by reporting scams.

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Thanks @Julie_A for sharing these wonderful tips to identify and report scams on Google Map and on Connect.

This is the need of the hour as very recently couple of such incidents have been reported on Connect by the LGs.

Thanks once again.

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Thanks for bringing this to attention @Julie_A

This is important for good Local Guides to stay away from such scam and spam activities and report them. This helps Maps and the community to remain clean and reliable.

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Hello @Julie_A

Thank you for the reminder. There has been some scammers of recent alright. Very often they do change addresses and tactics for spamming.

We will be vigilant to report them as necessary. Thank you for taking the spamming cases seriously. We appreciate the behind the scenes work to make maps better.

Happy guiding

Cheers

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Thanks for sharing this post about a really important topic @Julie_A

Is always good to know that the team is always caring about the community and we can help reporting inappropiate stuff.

let’s keep our eyes open and report!

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Thank you very much @Julie_A for nice helpful Blog (article).

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@Julie_A gracias, muy valiosa la información. Saludos.

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** @Julie_A **Very helpful for all!

Thanks for this post sharing with us…

Happy Guiding!

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Thanks @Julie_A for keeping us alarmed for scams appearing on Google Maps and Connect .

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Thanks @Julie_A .

I got a question related to this. Google also uses 3rd party data and spreads that on G Maps. With a simple search one can find tons of Airbnb listings and similar ones. According to the guidelines of the GBP, these places are not elegible to a profile. Other profiles are full of keywords on the name line, but are not claimed; this supposes that Google has put these on G Maps. Can you confirm this ? Is there any way Google could filter these profiles before putting them on G Maps ? Owners of the real business may not know that they have a profile that violates the guidelines and moreover they didn’t ask for it. Thanks in advance. Kurt (I’m also a PE in GBP, G Search and G Maps).

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A very informative and helpful article @Julie_A .We all need to be vigilant and at all time!When in doubt, do not engage!Identify and report!Simples! :sunglasses:

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Thank you very much @Julie_A the article will be useful to all users of Google Maps and Connect

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Thank you @Julie_A for sharing such a great information.

One thing I want to ask, that usually these scammers contact to the people (like many times I got messages) by social media, like Facebook , Instagram. And fewer msgs on Connect .So is there anyway we can share details about these people with Local Guides team?

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बहुत अच्छी व उपयोगी जानकारी,ऐसा कभी कभी मैप पर दिखता है,या गलती से हमसे भी हो सकता हैध्यान देने योग्य सामग्री

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Very helpful information indeed, thank you so much for sharing the post with us @Julie_A

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@Julie_A thank you for the reminder. I will keep this in mind and look out for such schemes across the Google Maps.

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Hi @Julie_A

Thank you, Google Maps team, for prioritizing our safety and ensuring a secure community.

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Hello @Julie_A ,

it’s nice to meet you here! :blush: :star2: :cherry_blossom:

I receive very often follow requests on Google Maps from accounts which uploaded inappropriate content to Google Maps.

They included malicious links on their Google Maps profiles and have a profile picture that I really don’t like seeing. :disappointed_relieved:

That’s disgusting.

I always report and block them all. :blush:

Thank you so much for sharing your very helpful post, Julie! :star_struck: :+1:t2:

I really appreciate your informative and helpful Local Guides Connect post! :star_struck: :sparkles:

I wish you a great day! :blush:

Many warm greetings to you from Hamburg, Germany! :grinning: :star2: :de:

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@Julie_A Thanks for your help, sadly people make bad use of great app

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Hi @Julie_A Thank you for the reminder. Especially lately, there have been a lot of fake comments and purchases on social media applications. Fees are paid for commenting on sites. This is a behavior completely contrary to the spirit of Google Maps. I’m sure you and other employees are doing your best to prevent this. I hope we encounter less such things…

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