I want to report a Spammer, please contact me

[MichaelGwiz]

@GusMoreira

Hey Gus, happy Thursday!  I found a few more the other day, and snapped screenshots.

 

(So that text indexing finds this, the numbers were 888-814-5389 and 888-491-7601)

I hope this helps!

[GusMoreira]

Hi @MichaelGwiz, 

Thank you very much!

As these are still pending edits on Google Maps (it's not public yet) feel free to deny these edits to prevent them for being published. We are also investigating the issue.

[MichaelGwiz]

@GusMoreira, it's no problem.  I denied them of course.  Thanks for your continued help and vigilance.

I was going to mention that a pattern that I discovered.  When I compared these to my list of providers previously affected I discovered that each of these places had been changed previously.  In end of March and beginning of April, I had corrected/prevented/"no'd" those changes.  Those suggested changes were to different numbers.  None of the suggested numbers so far have been legit, and none of them have been local.  

I have a working theory.  Which is that whoever is using this bot is going after unattended numbers.  Either to merely test the system, to see if they can get a few "approved" by negligent maps users clicking "yes" without checking (The equivalent of robocalling numbers with no recording, just to see if people pick up, to clean up robocalling lists).  Or for the purpose of spoofing / phishing - so that once those numbers are confirmed, they can use them a la "Microsoft Tech support."  I admit this theory has holes, because making calls to non-working numbers wouldn't do anything, however a person being called from these spoofed numbers just might google the place to confirm the number.  

I also have a suggested fix.  That is: a) grab the suggested number's pre-fix; b) compare and filter any suggested change to a phone number with a pre-fix area code outside the local area code (or to a 888 or 866 prefix); c) then place an outgoing call via Google voice (a la account recovery) to see if it is even a working number. d) If it was a working number, then let it cycle to the normal Maps review. e) If not, then flag the IP address / machine making the suggestion.  Undoubtedly the engineers have a handle on it, but it seems this tweak would catch all the sites we've come across so far.  

(That's odd.. the forum was only showing part of my post.  Updating now.)

[MichaelGwiz]

@GusMoreira  Happy Monday ~

Found another spam changed today.  

888-814-5389

[MattC]

Found on in St. Louis Area as well.  

(888) 228-0499