My Profile Might Accidentally Be Marked as a Spammer?

[RachelR]

Hello, 

I've been correcting some business info of spammers in Google Maps. However, all of my edits are automatically rejected. I think my profile might accidentally be marked as a spammer: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/156863. 

Does anyone know how to get someone at Google to look at my profile & check/fix this? Below is a screen shot of the map edits I've been trying to make to spammy business names. It will be obvious that they are all legit edits: 

Thanks in advance for your help!!

Rachel

[Flash]

This post has been edited to reflect the new process for those that might come across this in a future search.

If every edit of a variety of features in a variety of places without fail is being denied, but you are sure you have not spammed, your profile can be escalated by the moderators in either this forum or the Maps forum.

• As you are already in this forum please make a post here for us to escalate.
• Please be sure to have tested multiple types of edits in multiple places; some features and places on the map are blocked or require a very high trust level.
• Please use the same account to post here as with which you are having issues on the map
• The moderators will not be providing updates within the forum, once they respond that your case is escalated then any communication will come directly from Google to your email

As a note, we have often in the past had people attempt to promote their own store or a client's chain of store via edits to the features, but then when asked they insist they have done nothing wrong.  If you made edits to try and make a place more prominent and now find your account blocked; this is the defintion of spam and it will not be reversed.

[RachelR]

Thank you Gregg!!

[RachelR]

Hi again Gregg!

I just realized the link you sent me was moderation guidelines on Map Maker, which closes this month. I think that may be why I haven't heard back from my appeals email. The edits that I am getting automatically denied for are through "suggesting an edit" on Google Maps, not Map Maker. Do you know how I can get my G+ profile reinstated to make these types of edits?

Thanks again,

Rachel

[Flash]

You do not have separate profiles for each; rather you have one account that you could use to edit via either Maps or Map Maker.  Getting flagged as a spammer would prevent you from editing on either tool.

[Pea]

Hi @RachelR, although Gregg mentioned this up the thread you may have missed it, are you able to make any edits at all? Ignoring the ones that already came back as not applied, if you find something else on the map and manage to edit it, then you're not flagged and were just unlucky with those other name changes.

[RachelR]

Hi @Pea, 

Thanks for your help. I wanted to test your theory so I just made a bunch of map edits. I made sure to make edits across different industries and regions. Good news (kinda)...some of my updates were approved. Ironically when I started this thread, all of my original updates to moving companies in San Antonio were denied for some reason...so it seemed like my profile was marked as spam. Now I'm unsure if it is or isn't. 

Here is a screen shot of all my edits and which ones were Approved, Not Applied, or Pending:Google Maps - Suggest An Edit

It is all over the place. I cannot figure out a correlation to why some edits go through and why some don't. And I don't think there is a way to appeal if your edit isn't approved?? The edits that were not applied are in clear violation of Google's guidelines by spamming the business name. I'm not sure how to proceed with getting these spam listings updated now that Map Maker is gone. 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Rachel

[Pea]

---

@RachelR wrote:

some of my updates were approved

If your account had been flagged as a spammer you wouldn't be able to make any edits. Since you've just had some approvals you're not blocked.

Are some of the Not Applied edits to Claimed businesses? I often get my edits denied for claimed businesses (especially chain stores) even when the edit is legitimate by normal mapping rules. Unfortunately there is..  er, 'creative tension' between Google My Business and MapMaker and GMB seems to win even when wrong.

One other thought, this may be related to the type of POIs you were trying to edit. I have a vague memory that certain categories (locksmiths, plumbers, maybe movers as well) became so rife with spam, that any edits to them were blocked (if I'm talking rubbish here Gregg will correct me). Anyway I just tried to edit one of the above movers in MM and got an auto denial - so at least you know it's not just you.

[RachelR]

I wonder if it is the moving industry!! That would make me feel better knowing that all edits are blocked...although crazy since there is still so much spam out there! Thank you for trying to update a listing yourself. Glad to know my account is fine 🙂

As to your question, yeah...the edits that were immediately Not Applied were for claimed businesses. Although I edited some doctor listings that were claimed and those went through. Maybe you're right and it's the moving industry! 

Thanks so much @Pea!

[PatricL]

If I can add my 2 cents here.

Where I'm from, there's not much correct in google maps.

Many people stop me and ask if I can correct their business.

Of coarse I help and correct their info, but after about 5 edits, it gets auto pending(forever), and then after a few more it's directly denied.

I can't says that I see any type of business as a reason for pending or deny directly.

This seam to be a pattern, after a few days I can edit again.

And as you're back in edit business, I guess you have the same problem.

4-5 edits a day will keep me constantly allowed to edit.

If I pass that limit, I can't edit for a few days.

Guess this limit is set so no one can go crazy in an area before it's noticed.

If this makes any sense to you.

Would be great to get this confirmed.