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How to identify and report fraud on Google Maps

Googler

UPDATE: As of June 11, 2020, we now have a new process in place for reporting abusive activity on Google Maps. You can report entire profiles on Google Maps from your mobile device. Read this post to learn more.

 

Have you ever come across a place on Google Maps that doesn’t really exist? How about a place with incorrect details that look suspicious? These edits violate the Google My Business guidelines and Local Guides guidelines, and they’re considered fraud.

 

People post fraud on Google Maps for the sake of profit-generating scams, which hurt legitimate businesses and make Maps less useful for everyone. You can help fight spam by reporting violations.

 

 

Maps listings with keywords in their address fieldsMaps listings with keywords in their address fields

 

 

.:: How do I identify fraud on Google Maps? Look for the following.

 

  • Businesses that list a P.O. Box, post office or virtual office as an address. A business needs to have a real-world address to be listed on Google Maps. Virtual offices and shared workspaces are acceptable if they’re staffed during typical business hours, but be aware that using these types of places as addresses is a popular fraud technique. P.O. Boxes are OK in countries where they are essential, such as Kenya and the U.A.E.
  • Online-only businesses. Online businesses that don’t meet customers face-to-face are not eligible to be on Maps.
  • Businesses that don’t exist. If a business is on Maps but is not real, it should be reported.
  • Businesses that use employees’ addresses. The scam here is to make it appear that the business has locations in places where it doesn’t actually operate. If you see a business that seems to be in a purely residential area, this might be the reason.
  • Keyword “stuffing.” If you see search terms “stuffed” into place names or address fields, that’s a sign of a fraudulent listing.
  • Fake websites or phone numbers. For example, a fraudulent hotel listing might include a hotel booking site instead of a site for an individual business. If a business’s site seems broken or distributes malware, that’s a sign of a fraudulent listing.
  • Business impersonators: Some people create fake listings for real businesses, such as national chains. If you think a listing might be fraudulent, check the brand’s official site to see its legitimate locations.
  • Reviews that point out abuse. Sometimes, people will notice a fraudulent listing and note it in a review.
  • Profanity. Sometimes, people will deface legitimate listings with edits that include foul language.
  • Illegal businesses: If a business is illegal where it operates, it can’t be on Google Maps.

 

.::How do I report fraud on Google Maps?

 

  1. Find the business on Google Maps
  2. Scroll down and select Suggest an edit
  3. Tap Place is permanently closed or has never existed
  4. Select Spam, fake or offensive as the reason
  5. Tap Submit

Report the listing as spam flowReport the listing as spam flow

 

 

.::Reporting a Local Guide

If you've found a Local Guide contributing content or behaving in a way that seems to violate our policies or Local Guides program rules, you now have the ability to report these profiles directly in the Google Maps app. In order to do so, click on the user name in the list of Reviews/Photos they contributed or the Question/Answer they posted to get to their profile page. Once on their profile page, click on the three dot icon. Choose ‘Report’ from the menu on iOS or ‘Report profile’ on Android. For additional information, read this post.

 

.::Reporting spammed, fake, or duplicate prominent locations to Google Moderators

There are certain prominent places which Local Guides can’t edit in Google Maps, such as cities, towns, rivers, natural formations, and more. If you come across a spammed, fake or duplicate location for which you cannot submit an edit or your edit is automatically rejected, let us know in a comment below. Make sure to tag a Google Moderator and provide the following details: 

 

  • Google Maps URL of the location (Eg: https://goo.gl/maps/qAZfCWDfZzoqchHL9);
  • What’s wrong with the place? Is it spammed, fake, or duplicate?
  • Which is the wrong information? Is it the name, category, or contact information?
  • What should the correct information be? Tell us the original name of the place in English and in the local language (if applicable), the right category (Zoo, Museum, etc.), and the correct contact information (official website, address, phone number, etc.).
2,851 Comments
Connect Moderator

Thanks for sharing. @TraciC

I don't know about this topic 

About me | Guiding Star 2020 | Guiding Star 2020 |  | Follow me on Instagram & Follow me on Maps |   | Happy to Help


Please use '@' before the name to tag me.



Googler

Please see this post which explains how you can report content on Google Maps.

 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 10

@TraciCI tried both methods (1. Reporting a Review or Photo; 2. Reporting a Local Guide). I have to say that both of the proposed methods are inefficient and don't give any result. None of my reports have been solved, no one point have been removed from the violator's rating, no reviews have been deleted, no photos have been removed. All violators, of which I have reported, successfully continue their activities on maps.

Level 10

Полностью поддерживаю Сергея!

Ajaks
Level 7

try but no responce

Level 6

I have found a spammer and I have tried to report him in this way, nobody has contacted me. What should I do @TraciC?

Googler

@SergeySud As the original post notes, it takes time for the team to review content to ensure it is indeed violating the policies. If you have sent the team additional information (method two, reporting a Local Guide to the team privately), it will be reviewed and addressed though we can't share the results of our investigation.

 

@pappul and@CaroM Did you follow the instructions in the post I shared to report the content you think is violating our policies? Someone will only reach out to you privately with instructions on how to report a specific Local Guide if needed once you've followed the other steps and you've let a Google Moderator know.

 

Thank you, all.  


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 6

@TraciC Yes, I did. 

Level 6

maybe I don't understand the procedure, but isn't writing a post here like this sufficient?

Re: How do I report a Maps spammer?

@TraciC

Found another Spammer

 

Googler

@CaroM It looks like you responded to my comment on this post here, so I've gone ahead and sent you a private message as the Google Moderator you tagged happened to be on vacation when you tagged him, which is why your post wasn't responded to at the time. Thank you.


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Googler

@CaroM It looks like you responded to my comment on this post on your other post  so I've gone ahead and sent you a private message as the Google Moderator you tagged happened to be on vacation when you tagged him, which is why your post wasn't responded to at the time. Thank you. 

 

@MicheleC64 Creating a post or adding on to an existing thread (like this one) about reporting content on Google Maps is indeed the route to go, however, the Local Guides team directs all Local Guides to this post which serves as a reference on how to report content on Google Maps to help educate Local Guides and Google Maps users. As the post shares, content from Google Maps contributors or a single or few pieces of content can be flagged in Google Maps directly. If you've found a Local Guide contributing content or behaving in a way that you think violates Google Maps' policies and/or Local Guides program rules, that is when tagging a Google Moderator is the next course of action so the team may investigate. If there's a Local Guide you'd like us to investigate, please tag me and I can reach out privately. Thank you. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 6

This was my first time using the forum, I wasn't sure if this was the way to go. I didn't want to keep tagging other moderators. Thank you for your quick response! 🙂

Level 6

Thank you,

@TraciCreport a Local Guide Spammer

correct?

Googler

Hi @MicheleC64. Apologies, I meant tagging me in a response (there is no specific formatting for the request, I shared so much detail in my earlier post to answer your question and help other Local Guides who may encounter this thread). Hopefully, we'll continue to be able to improve the process sooner rather than later. 🙂 Sending you a private message now. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 7

thanks

Level 10

Thanks @TraciC for detailed useful information.

@PeterH

@pappul

@RajendrasinhC

@Pea


@TraciC wrote:

@PeterH If you find a review or photo that you think violates our policies, you can use the 'flag as inappropriate' icon next to the contribution. A team of specialists will then check if it violates any of our policies (https://goo.gl/dsVNTC, https://goo.gl/G87xzJ) and will take appropriate action. The review sometimes takes time as the team is careful to only remove content that violate policy.

If you've found a specific Local Guide with activity you think violates Google Maps' policies or the Local Guides program rules, let us know here in Connect (but don't share that person's information publicly) and we'll reach out to you via private message with instructions on how to share that information with the Local Guides team to share with the specialists for review. Please note that we'll never be able to share the specialists' decision as we respect everyone's privacy.

 

I also recommend reading this post for tips on searching, posting and interacting with the community to make your experience here on Connect much more enjoyable and easier to navigate.


 

Level 8

Hi everyone.

 

Please, I found photos that violates LGs policies, very hard to use use the 'flag as inappropriate' , cause now, he has 1.042 photos

 

@Gus @TraciC Please, contact me and forward this for a  team of specialists will then check if it violates any of LGs policies.

 

It is a specific profile with activity violates Google Maps' policies or the Local Guides program rules.

 

Thank you.

 

Regards from BRAZIL.

Level 5

Just want to jump in on this post as the business I work for has received a fake review from a local guide - I am one myself, so find it quite frustrating that there isn't an easy solution to report these types of fake Local Guides. How can I get in touch with someone to report them? Couldn't find a private message option - although I am probably looking in the wrong place.

Level 10

There is a provision to report problem/spam, use that one. @WaweruM

@InfraOrange

@PamelaWoodward

@LyndaH

@TraciC


@WaweruM wrote:

How can i report the local guides who are spamming reviews?


 

Level 5

Thanks, worked out how to PM and have sent TraciC a message.

 

Have reported also.

Former Google Contributor

Hi @Haruki,

 

I'll send you a private message so we can continue the discussion about this.

Local Guides Community Program Manager
Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. Thank you.

Hello @Haruki,

 

Thank you so much for pointing out such activities. It will help the team in a great way to manage the community as well as the contents of the map. Your help is truly appreciated.

 

Cheers,

Zalak

Level 8

 

@LuisRG

 

Thank you very much. I replied to the message.

 

@amdavadiZalak

Thank you. Together we can help many people. 🙂

 

Regards from BRAZIL!

I don't know why you are picking on me all the time. What did I do to deserve spamming!This harassment is adding up.

Level 10

@PamelaWoodwardIf people are reporting you there is a possibility that you are spamming

Googler

@WaweruM @InfraOrange Please follow the instructions in this post if you haven't already read it. Thank you. 🙂

 

@PamelaWoodward I looked through the conversation and can't see where someone is harassing you. If you have a concern about a post here on Connect, please use the "Mark as inappropriate" option on a post and a Google Moderator will review your report and take any necessary action. I think you may be referring to the fact that @ProfArunCM tagged you in his response. @ProfArunCM: Perhaps you could tag people you are directly talking to so others who are not involved with the conversation aren't notified if they are not participating. Thank you. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 10

@TraciCThanks for the update

Level 3

Hey @TraciC thanks for looking into these issues. But there should be a simpler way to report a guide. 

 

There is one guide in my city whose images are the default photos of every place in town. And all of them are random photos of lakes and forest from Calender's or stock images. 

 

When can I send the details of the guide privately?


@TraciC wrote:

Hi @ConstantinC. I have edited your post to remove the personal information of another user as we respect everyone's privacy and discourage the sharing of private information.

 

If you find a review or photo that you think violates our policies, you can use the 'flag as inappropriate' icon next to the contribution. A team of specialists will then check if it violates any of our policies (https://goo.gl/dsVNTC, https://goo.gl/G87xzJ) and will take appropriate action.

 

If you've found a specific Local Guide with activity you deem to be inappropriate, sharing their information with us privately (the information being a profile URL and an example of the activity) will allow us to look into it, though we will not be able to share our decision. If you do have a specific Local Guide you'd like the team to look into, let me know by tagging me in a response to this post and I'll send you a private message with information on how to share that information with the team. 

 

@Sariga Regarding the photos you have uploaded, Local Guides receive 1 point per place they upload photos to, whether it's 10 photos or 1 photo. More information about points can be found in the Help Center.

 

 



H

Former Google Contributor

Hi @fahimakhter, I have reached out to you privately with more details for reporting a Local Guide whom you think is violating Google Maps’ policies and/or Local Guides’ Community Guidelines

New to Connect? Check out Help Desk! Always keep in mind the Local Guides program rules when posting.

Level 3

Thanks just sent an email 

 


@JeslynL wrote:

Hi @fahimakhter, I have reached out to you privately with more details for reporting a Local Guide whom you think is violating Google Maps’ policies and/or Local Guides’ Community Guidelines



@JeslynL wrote:

Hi @fahimakhter, I have reached out to you privately with more details for reporting a Local Guide whom you think is violating Google Maps’ policies and/or Local Guides’ Community Guidelines


 

Level 6

Soy nuevo en la comunidad, pero llevo ya varios meses compartiendo mis experiencias con otros local guides, por esta razón quiero reportar una cuenta que realizar spam en varios sitios aproximadamente 250 la cuenta es Todo llaves.

 

Pls @TraciC help me 

Googler

Hi @Douglax212. I have sent you a private message. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 7

ji mam kuch spam ko main be plz see

 

https://www.google.co.in/maps/search/agarwal+packers+and+movers+mumbai/@19.2784471,72.77332,10z

 

this user all listing canvert hotal spa and store plz see

 

https://www.google.co.in/maps/search/alfa+packers+and+movers+in+all+mumbai/@19.1864798,72.6822343,10...

 

same pojesen 

 

plz see and solved

Level 7

@SergeySud I just got email with Important First Notice - Inappropriate Content regarding my added photospheres. I am too scared to add any more photosphere to my account, so probably I will not add any more. I will stop uploading, as I am too concerned about further possibility of adding inappropriate content to Maps.

Level 7

@JoeM meni se ne cini njjasnijim, sto si ktio ovim reci,a li smatram da na ovim forumima ne smije biti takvis sadryaja, takvih ljudi. Ne smijemo siriti mrynju i yavist na googleu, nego tyremao rayvijati ljubav i rayumijevanje i to siriti medju svakolikim pucanstvom. Ljuva i rayumijevanje je temelj buducnbosti i odnosa mdju ljudima, kako na planu osobnom, untar obitelji tako i u sirim drustvenim zajednicama.

Level 7

Meni se cini da pretjerano strogo reagirate prema nekome tko pokaye mrznju. Moyda je taj covjek sam omao los dan na poslu ili je imao obiteljskih problema. Nitko ne smije procjenjivati pojedinca na temelju samo jednog dogodjaja. Naravno da se takvo ekscesno ponasenje ne bi trebalo ponavljati, i u slucajkevima da se ponovi, trebalo bi sankcionirati

Level 2

I have a google business and a few months ago a "local guide" came in and requested that I give him  deal or else he would go somewhere else and leave me a bad review. He is a level 4 guide and when I flag his comment nothing happens and I have nobody to talk to about him when he goes around like a thug demanding deals or else.

To make it simple I buy jewelry and he pretty much said that if I don't give him more money then he will leave a bad comment. I can only assume the jewelry exchange that he left a good review for took the bait. help me remove his comment 

Former Google Contributor

Hi @deanalfia It is against the Local Guides program rules to be giving reviews based on "good deals" offered by the owner. Can you try "Report a Problem" option on Google Maps?

Level 8

I would like to report a spammer, please contact me. @TraciC

Thank you

Level 10

@AilínE i was through one of the biggest spammers on google maps , he was uploading the same pictures of business to over 8000 places and i just reported a spammer and tagged a google moderator in few days his contributions were deleted ,now he is back again with 250 spam reviews .

Level 8

Hi!

I want to report a spammer who has changed a lot of hotel websites to its travel/booking website. 

The website that has been changed to looks quite genuine because it does not actually contain the company name but has the hotels name.

I suspected a spammer because I had originally added websites to some of the hotels and now have to  "verify facts" to this fake website. 

 

@TraciC @GusMoreira

I am not sure if I can share the company name /website doing the changes for action to be taken.

 

Ann

Former Google Contributor

Hi @Ann-MarieS

 

Thanks for reaching out. Is the person a Local Guide that you think is violating Google Maps' policies or the Local Guides program rules and/ or do you think that this user is violating our policies in Google Maps? Here below how to report correctly a spammer:

 

  • If you find a review or photo that you think violates our policies on Google Maps, you can use the 'flag/report as inappropriate' icon next to the contribution. A team of specialists will then check if it violates any of our policies (https://goo.gl/dsVNTC & https://goo.gl/G87xzJ) and will take appropriate action. 
  • If you've found a specific Local Guide with activity you think violates Google Maps' policies or the Local Guides program rules, let us know in Connect by tagging a Google Moderator in your post (as you did), but please do not share that person's information publicly. We'll then reach out to you via private message with instructions on how to share that information with the Local Guides team to share with the specialists for review.

 

The content review sometimes takes time as the team is careful to only remove content that violates policy. Please note that we'll never be able to share the specialists' decision as we respect everyone's privacy. 

 

Many thanks for your help.

* Due to the volume of private messages please note that I do not reply to them
Level 8

HI @MariaBi

 

I noticed this spamming through "check facts". I am not aware of knowing who is making these edits, is there a way to see that?

A lot of hotels have been edited. A lot. It is not possible to flag each and everyone. 

The website that is being changed to is a booking site that is disguised as the hotel site.

Former Google Contributor

Hi @Ann-MarieS

 

Many thanks for the clarification. I'll send you shortly further instructions via private message. 

* Due to the volume of private messages please note that I do not reply to them
Level 10

@TraciC i would like to report a spammer .

Former Google Contributor

Hi @AdrianoAnjos@NarenChandra, thanks for tagging the moderators. Have you checked out this post about reporting spam on Maps? I suggest reading it first, then feel free to tag me if you wish to report a Local Guide whose Maps contributions violate Google Maps' policies and/or Local Guides program rules. Thank you 🙂

New to Connect? Check out Help Desk! Always keep in mind the Local Guides program rules when posting.

Level 10

@JeslynL i have read the blog and i want to report a spammer, last time he added 8000 images of his business to all the places in India , those were removed by google moderators and now he is back with review spamming.

spamming all Indiaspamming all India

Level 8

Hi @TraciC, I found a weird user that is Level 5 but it's clearly fake because:

 

  1. his name correspond to a German nazi anthropologist
  2. he's posting all 5-star reviews only to police places, only in Italy with no other comment than just the name of the place (copied and pasted)
  3. he's using as photo a cropped screenshot from Google Street View

Very weird, probably it's a bot? In any case it alters the quality and authenticity of rating. I'm willing to provide his profile URL via private message.
Thanks

Googler

Hi @PaoloMargari. I'll send you a private message with information on how to share this information with us. 


Note: Due to the volume of private messages Googlers receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!.
Level 7

Meni se cini da prijavljivanje nema nikakvog smisla. Nitko na googlubto ne pogleda. Nitko ne odgovori. Nista se ne dogodi. Nepostojece stvari se dodavaju na pogresnim mjestima. Lokacija bude oogresna i nekoliko kilometara. Opisi, nazivi, brojevi telefona, sve to je prepuno pogresama. Medju fotografijama ima i onih koje su stotinama kilometara dalje. Jednu ljekarnu postavili su usred planine, tri kilometra od stvarne lokacije. Tu ljekarnu prijavio sam kao pogresno lociranu bar deset puta. Ona se nalazi usred livade i evidentno je na satelitskom snimku da je pogresno. Ne moze biti nesto tamo gdje nema nista. I tako sam pisao vise puta i nema odgovora. Jesan drugi slucaj. Dodavao sam naziv tvrdjava, kula. Deset puta ponavljam istu proceduru i nikako ne moze proci. Posve jednistavo dodavanje ne moze proci. Nista ne moze proci, a sve je puno gresaka.