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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
Level 2

Hi @TraciC

I've found a Local Guide behaving in a way that I think violates Google Maps' policies and/or Local Guides program rules.

 

Connect Moderator

I want to report a spammer . Plz contact with me ...

@GusMoreira @JeslynL !!!

Happy Guiding !!!

Former Google Contributor

@ShafiulB You should see a message from me in your inbox 🙂

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

Former Google Contributor

Thank you so much for sharing the post, @NareshDarji !

 

Hello @LilitAzaryan, thank you for reaching out to us here in Connect. When you want to report a suspicious Local Guide, please tag a Google Moderator - and don't share that person's information publicly.

 

I have reached out to you via private message with more details about sharing such information with the team. Please check your inbox. Thank you so much!

Level 5

I'm reporting a spammer.  Local guide name '6 Cyl'

While this isn't a large volume spammer, every single item posted by this account is literally gibberish.

Level 5

<MAPS URL REMOVED> <NAME OF GOOGLE MAPS CONTRIBUTOR REMOVED>  posted reviews after calling the businesses to market to them. 

I thought reviews for when you actually went to the place? Not when you're a telemarketer bothering them when they have better things to do. Google needs to fix this!

Level 9

Hi @Nise: Thanks for bringing this up. Yes, reviews are supposed to be based on personal experiences with the place/business.

If you come across a local guide who appears to be violating the rules, please refer to this post in the future to see how to report them.

In this case, I ask that you remove their link for privacy reasons and I will tag @JeslynL who will be able to assist in this situation.

Please post publicly so others can benefit as well. I do not have private messages. Thanks!
Former Google Contributor

Hi @Nise, thank you for flagging this user. I've removed the name of the user and the link to their Maps contributions profile from your post as we want to ensure everyone's privacy. 

 

We will look into the contributions of the reported user but it may be good to note that the team is unable to verify authenticity of user ratings and/or reviews. Additionally, if you any review or photo in violation of the Maps User Contributed Content Policy, you can use the 'flag as inappropriate' icon next to the contribution or “Report a Problem” if you are using Google Maps on desktop. More info on How Do I Report Content on Google Maps?

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

Former Google Contributor

@letus I shot you a private message - check your inbox!

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

Level 5

I actually have no way of responding to the private message.  There is no UI functionality in the message to reply.

 

Anyhow, the userus question showed up as something for me to answer. I just clicked the link in the question to the user.  I have no idea how to find that specific user again without the question showing up.

Level 10

Oh really ?

I reported three spammers, the first one 8 month (!) ago. And what did Alphabet do ? Nothing.

Anyway, what did Spiegel Online write about the new planned 'feature' on Alphabet's Youtube to fight conspiracy theories with additional information from Wikipedia
("The dirty work is outsourced to volunteers" [exactly the way, how Alphabet understand its business]):
"...'We are no media companies.'[That is almost a real Zuckerberg, isn't it?] is Silicon-Valley-Code. It stands for: 'We definitely don't want to take responsibility for
what our users do on our platforms - we only want to earn money with it.'..."

Level 9

Hi,

 

Today while searching a place on maps I suddenly found a spammer has changed an important market's name in our city, also made changes its description (category, phone numbers etc).  I tried to report changes but after sometime I got notification that my edit not applied. 

 

Originally the market's name is "New Market', having 1192 reviews. 

As Rodrigo said in the main post I am tagging a Google moderator in this post @Atsukot for reporting. 

 

Maps - spam.jpg

 

Please help our community to restore the market's name. 

Here is the link on maps. 

 

Thank you in advance. 

Shaunak 

Local Hero: Mapping Calcutta’s Hospitals | Instagram | Facebook| Twitter | YouTube | LGSummit16, LGSummit17, SVT18 alumnus
Former Google Contributor

Hello @DrShaunakin this case, please send feedback to Google Maps. Thank you so much!

Level 2

Hi @Atsukot

Unfortunately my inbox is empty. Looks like you didn't sent me PM yet. 

Will wait for one

Thank you

Level 10

@JeslynL, @Atsukot

And please remind the users to allow private messaging in their settings ....

 
Level 10

@DrShaunak

I also noticed, reported and rectified so many such spammers for correct name places  added by me  but easily being  edited wrongly by spammers. . It is very difficult to rectify once it was edited.wrongly. I also tried to rectify and some were not yet approved edit.. This shows our efforts being wasted.After all what spammers want, may be  points and making mess.. How ever, this is a serious issue and the trend must be monitored by proper filter procedures.at the earliest.

jojo
Level 10

Just to remind the employees of Alphabet Inc. what Your employer understands under the term 'spam' : '... Your content should reflect your genuine experience at the location and should not be posted just to manipulate a place’s ratings. Don’t post fake content, don’t post the same content multiple times, and don't post content for the same place from multiple accounts....'.

@JeslynL, @Atsukot , @KlaudiyaG

@PaulPavlinovich@geoosm

 

And what about the Local Guide community policy: '...Be trustworthy  Contributions must be based on real experiences and information. ...'.

'... Local Guides who duplicate reviews across locations will be removed from the program. ...' [ That means: Ok, we fire the local guide, but we are to lazy to remove the content.]

Former Google Contributor

Hello @LilitAzaryan, I'm checking if you received a private message from me. If not, please let me know. Thank you so much!

There is a  Local Guide in my area that seems to post literally every photo from their phone, to random Google Maps locations.

Thousands. Thousands of photos. Videos too. Family videos.

Screenshots from their phone, photos of their dogs, their family, their kids, random things.

It's as if you were scrolling through their Google Photos account, when you go through the list of photos they have contributed to various locations. Very very few if any, were actually taken at the location they are posted to.

This user.. is rampant, and there is absolutely no way to report all of their seemingly endless photos. They have clearly been doing this for a while.

 

The thread about reporting spam accounts is marked as solved, and thus is closed, so I can't respond to it or tag  @TraciC 
But  I hope she still works at Google and will show up here, because what the user I'm talking about is doing, drives me crazy.

Let me know where to send the link, and I'll do it.

 

-Galacticboy2009

Former Google Contributor

Hey @galacticboy2009,

Thanks for reaching out.

 

Thanks for taking spam fighting so seriously. I will reach out to you privately with more information.

 

In the meantime please keep in mind that the best way for us to fight spam is to report is as explained here.

 

Best regards,

Georges

Please consider reading this post before sending me a Private Message - Private Messages and Google Moderators
Former Google Contributor

Hello @galacticboy2009, thank you for reaching out to us. I merged your post to Report a Spammer thread on the General Discussion board as it is more appropriate in this section of the forums.

 

Please check out the link @GeorgesHR shared, and let us know if you have any questions. Thank you!

Anonymous
Not applicable

Hello @Atsukot I want to report a spammer who's using same photos that are not relevant for a business for multiple businesses and tourist spots.

Former Google Contributor

@akshathA - I've shot you a private message, check your inbox! 

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

Level 8

See below the link of user. He has uploaded 2000+ irrelevant stock wallpapers. And none of the photo is belong to place.  
<--- I have removed the link for user privacy concern -->

Surprisingly, he reached at level 7 just uploading irrelevant stock wallpapers and got 4million+ views till now.

 

@JeslynL@Atsukot@BruceDM

Level 10

@BellaWi @JeslynL @BruceDM For your action on the above. 

 

@FarhanBaloch Thanks for sharing this, however because there are some privacy issues around sharing a user personal profile, do read this on how to report a user for future reference. 🙂

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/About-Local-Guides/How-Do-I-Report-Content-on-Google-Maps/m-p/...

Level 10

Thank you @FarhanBaloch for your information! please follow the instruction provided by @StephenAbraham 🙂

Add, Edit, Explore More ! || Google Maps Contributions || Gujju Local Guides on G+
Level 8

@StephenAbrahamthanks for your quick reply. User has uploaded 2000+ photos and if I follow this report procedure then I have to report 2000+ times. Very long job.

Level 10

@FarhanBaloch There is a section in the post on how to report a user. In the same link above. 🙂

That's the usual recommended way of reporting. 🙂 

 

.:: Reporting a Local Guide

 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, let us know here in Connect (but don't share that person's information publicly) by tagging a Google Moderator and we'll reach out to you via private message with instructions on how to share that information with the Local Guides team.

 

 

Level 8

Thanks

Former Google Contributor

Thanks for flagging and removing the Maps URL of the user you are reporting, @FarhanBaloch - privacy is our priority. I will look into the user you have reported but am unable to share results of the investigation with you. 

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

Level 7

Thank you @HelloSamsonRHelloSamsonR 

 

Hello @GeorgesHR,

I would like to report a hateful reviewer.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Best Regards,

Valentina

Former Google Contributor

Hi @ValGetova,

 

Please check your inbox as I have sent you a private message with some additional information concerning this issue.

 

Talk to you soon,

Klaudiya

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. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!

Level 3

I have searched for this topic and it seems that the protocol is to have someone contact me to discuss this matter as opposed to sharing the local guides profile.

 

I came across a "review" that was actually libelous and when I clicked on the local guides profile, it seems that they are using the platform as a personal venting machine and in doing so, misrepresenting the Guide program. As expected, there posts are ripe with poor grammar, poor spelling, and misuse of CAPS, making them look even less credible, but also making the Guide Program look less credible because a Guide is a representative of the program.

 

Thanks in advance.

Former Google Contributor

Hey @DocTony,

Thanks for reaching out.

 

I will contact you privately with more information.

 

Please note that I have moved your topic here - Report a Spammer.

 

Best regards,

Georges

Please consider reading this post before sending me a Private Message - Private Messages and Google Moderators
Level 6

Hi

Former Google Contributor

Hi @Magnate,

 

Thanks for reaching out! I will send you a private message with instructions how to report this Local Guide.

 

See you around!

- Nadya

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 5

Hi there,

 

There's a place in my area that has been under construction for some time, but is not yet open, yet two people have rated it as 4 and 5 stars. These are obviously fake reviews but there is no option under reporting to indicate this or to send a note along with your report. The place in question is Tsujiri in Richmond (Canada):

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/TSUJIRI/@49.1775606,-123.1242518,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5486...

 

Is there a better place to report this?

Connect Moderator

Hi @kokuou A Warm Welcome in Connect, the Official Community of Google Local Guides.

Thanks for reaching us.

To report a review, press on the three black dots on the right side of every review. It works both on desktop and App version

In addition, please read this post to know how to report a Local Guide: /How-Do-I-Report-Content-on-Google-Maps/

 

As this seems to be one of your first post in here, I take the opportunity to give you some information to know now to interact with the community:

    • Need Help?: The help area give you a lot of solutions if you need to "know how to ...."
    • Explore the Forum menu, to see what the various sections are about. You will find many interesting parts regarding, for example, meet-up, or photographic technique.
    • Give to the post a descriptive title

As an extra tips, i would suggest you to Search the community before posting as the same subject can be already being discussed.

 

Welcome again, I hope to see you soon 🙂

 

Ermes

Level 5

Thanks for the info, much appreciated! The post you mention says actually to report them by posting here and tagging moderators.

As such, could @JeslynL or @Atsukot PM me for info? These two reviews are definitely not valid since the place isn't even open yet.

 

Thanks!

Connect Moderator
Level 2

Hi!  I'm not a business owner.  I was looking up reviews of businesses in my area and noticed the same reviewer posting on all these businesses in a similar manner like "1* Just a grocery store" for a local grocery store, and "1* They take care of animals here" for a vet clinic.  On a local Inn this person posted pictures of a wine bottle and dirty dishes in their own kitchen instead of pictures of the Inn, and they seemed quite rude and insulting to the staff of the Inn.  Most of their reviews are low star and few words simply to boast them to "Local Guide" status.  Please contact me for further detail on this person and possible review of their account.  Thanks!

 

@JeslynL, @Atsukot, @BruceDM, @MarinSt, @GeorgesHR, @KlaudiyaG and @NadyaPN

Level 9

Hello @sQualie

Hope you are having a good day out there 🙂

 

Thanks for reaching out, I understand that the answer/reply should be from google-rs but since they might be too busy to reply.

Meanwhile, you can try reading this post about reporting spam & inappropriate contents on map

 

This post has an accepted solution

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Report-a-Spammer/m-p/469644#M32358

 

& also this post

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Help-Desk/How-Do-I-Report-Content-on-Google-Maps/m-p/202916#M3...

The post has been well written by one of the well known google-r  @GusMoreira

 

Best Regards

Level 2

Thanks Haseeb, but I had already read that post and am going through the recommended steps to report a Local Guide, which is posting here in Connect and tagging moderators.  I am now waiting for a PM to let them know who the local guide I'm referring to is, again as per instructions in the post that you linked.

 

Cheers!


Former Google Contributor

Hey @kokuou, thanks for reporting! I am able to retrieve necessary information with the link you provided so I'd not be reaching out this time. We will look into the issue but will not be able to share the results of our investigation. 

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

Level 9

Hi @Haseeb,

Thanks for pitching in. 

@sQualie,

Thank you so much for reporting spam on map but there is no benefit of tagging lots of moderators in a post. Kindly double check that post and learn more about reporting content on map. 

 

Just tag a moderator in your post. 

With best regards 

Google Maps and Chrome Product Expert.

Always use @ before name to tag anyone on the Connect.
Former Google Contributor

@sQualie - I will send you a private message with further instructions. Thank you.

I am not available to respond on the weekend
Level 9

@sQualie this will now solve your issue.

Please keep in eye on your inbox as mentioned by @BruceDM 

 

Cheers

Level 6

Bruce,

 

I appreciate your reply.  I understand the issues with verifying truthfulness.  This opens the door to anyone wanting to slam locations by just faking a profile.  I am profoundly disappointed that reporting them did not resolve my issue.  I would never fake a profile to downgrade a location but I think I know people who might.  I think there should be a way to spot a fake.  I know the standards say you need to visit a place to review it and I know the person who I reported never did.  Their abuse was purely politically motivated.  

 

I am glad that this issue will not generally have an effect on reviews.  It is understandable for someone who has a bad experience to give a bad rating.  I enjoy reviewing and the fact that I can see others experiences to help find places to visit.

 

Thank you for your help.  I delayed my response in hopes I would see things fixed, which I now know will never happen

 

Level 10

Amazed to see this profile. 

<SCREENSHOT REMOVED>

Please Note: Screenshot posted has since been removed as it was found to against policy.

Level 10

@ProfArunCM

Wow interesting profile 

26 million photos posted 😮