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A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

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Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#11

Post by dcre »

troydavis wrote: post #2

95% of the 100+ comments on this business are fake, presumably from a comment/review farm that was paid by the business owner (though I don't know that). The same commenters - some of which Google Maps describes as "Local Guides" - also have commented on dozens or hundreds of businesses that don't exist at all. The fake business entries are basically using Google Maps place locations for SEO and presumably, referral…

I experienced this while trying to get my air conditioner fixed on short notice during a heat wave last year. Got scammed in a minor way. Thanks for posting this. I saw it happening — dozens of clearly fake businesses with tons of 5 star reviews, with calls routed to the same call centers with the same predatory pricing schemes. Wasn’t sure how to report it, but calling it out like this is a good idea.

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#13

Post by cobertos »

TheCaptain4815 wrote: post #6

My time to shine as someone who's pretty deep in this game. There's an enormous and growing market of fake GBPs for the purpose of selling leads called Local SEO Lead Gen. (each entity can bring in thousands of dollars/month.) The thinking is why go through the headache of dealing with clients who can fire you the day after they begin ranking (Local SEO is heavily "front loaded" work wise), will always try undercutti…

The video calls must be new. When I first made a Google My Business profile, there was no verification. Not even address verification. And then I couldn't get the listing delisted from Google either (my friend made a prank listing).

At some point they added postcard by mail verification. Then they added having to upload documents (articles of organization, pictures of store). And then the last time my account got suspended I had to make a video showing the above as well as including the cross streets in the video.

It doesn't surprise me so many people are gaming this system because it's effectively a free pass to the top of local Google searches as well as getting into Maps searches.

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#14

Post by jaycroft »

TheCaptain4815 wrote: post #6

My time to shine as someone who's pretty deep in this game. There's an enormous and growing market of fake GBPs for the purpose of selling leads called Local SEO Lead Gen. (each entity can bring in thousands of dollars/month.) The thinking is why go through the headache of dealing with clients who can fire you the day after they begin ranking (Local SEO is heavily "front loaded" work wise), will always try undercutti…

So this is why when I called a locksmith last week, they took down my info and then 30 minutes later got a call from no less than 5 other locksmiths who were "on their way to my house". Nobody's phone number matched, nobody wanted to tell me who they worked for. Totally sketched out with Google Maps' suggestions, I switched to yelp. The first service I called on yelp was reasonably priced, was actually the person coming to my house, and totally hassle free. How is Yelp dealing with this when Google can't seem to?

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#15

Post by sairahul82 »

These fake reviews are easier to identify. No profile photo, they typically have one or two 5 star reviews. If you click on few reviews of a business and if you see this pattern then most likely they are fake. In the past I want to choose a mover and this particular business has 4.9 stars with over 300 reviews. There is no way a mover can have this rating. I clicked on atleast 50 reviewers and all of them have only one review and it is a 5 star one. For some reason Google doesn’t care. I tried to complain about a particular review but there is no option to indicate the kind.

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#16

Post by jaycroft »

kris_wayton wrote: post #10

I remember this being especially bad for certain niches like locksmiths. In that space, someone would create fake businesses and then take the leads they got via phone, email, websites, etc, and then refer the business to some actual locksmith. With probably heavy mark-up to cover the referral fee.

Oh wow, see my other comment in another thread. I had a ridiculously bad experience trying to get a key fob made last week - all the numbers would lead me around in circles, then I'd get "spam caller" numbers calling me telling me they were on their way. Switching to Yelp reviews seemed to solve the problem for locksmiths in particular, and I really can't figure out why...

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#17

Post by cookie_monsta »

nkurz wrote: post #3
troydavis wrote: post #2

95% of the 100+ comments on this business are fake, presumably from a comment/review farm that was paid by the business owner (though I don't know that). The same commenters - some of which Google Maps describes as "Local Guides" - also have commented on dozens or hundreds of businesses that don't exist at all. The fake business entries are basically using Google Maps place locations for SEO and presumably, referral…

Interesting. Something is up. A few more things that seemed odd: 1) It looks like most of the reviewers have only reviewed a few businesses. Maybe this is to avoid suspicion, but if the accounts are fake they seem underutilized. I didn't see any fakes with over 6. 2) On the page you linked, several of the reviewers (Thaddues Kelly Parks, Darren Meyer, and Adilson Vierra) gave a standard glowing review but only awarde…

2) could be a tactic. I rarely give 5 stars (because how often does something actually 100% meet expectations?) so I assume that 5 star reviews are either:

a) scammers

b) people reviewing with zero/way too little context ("this is the BEST maternity ward in the universe!!!")

Likewise, I figure most 1 star reviews have some sort of axe to grind.

So I gravitate towards the 3 star reviews - that's where the interesting stories are.

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#18

Post by schappim »

jaycroft wrote: post #14
TheCaptain4815 wrote: post #6

My time to shine as someone who's pretty deep in this game. There's an enormous and growing market of fake GBPs for the purpose of selling leads called Local SEO Lead Gen. (each entity can bring in thousands of dollars/month.) The thinking is why go through the headache of dealing with clients who can fire you the day after they begin ranking (Local SEO is heavily "front loaded" work wise), will always try undercutti…

So this is why when I called a locksmith last week, they took down my info and then 30 minutes later got a call from no less than 5 other locksmiths who were "on their way to my house". Nobody's phone number matched, nobody wanted to tell me who they worked for. Totally sketched out with Google Maps' suggestions, I switched to yelp. The first service I called on yelp was reasonably priced, was actually the person com…

I wouldn't give Yelp too much praise. It's been alleged that Yelp engages in astroturfing and unfair business practices[0], and the documentary "Billion Dollar Bully"[1] even accuses them of "Mob-Like Behavior".

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yelp [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billion_Dollar_Bully

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#19

Post by flir »

jaycroft wrote: post #14
TheCaptain4815 wrote: post #6

My time to shine as someone who's pretty deep in this game. There's an enormous and growing market of fake GBPs for the purpose of selling leads called Local SEO Lead Gen. (each entity can bring in thousands of dollars/month.) The thinking is why go through the headache of dealing with clients who can fire you the day after they begin ranking (Local SEO is heavily "front loaded" work wise), will always try undercutti…

So this is why when I called a locksmith last week, they took down my info and then 30 minutes later got a call from no less than 5 other locksmiths who were "on their way to my house". Nobody's phone number matched, nobody wanted to tell me who they worked for. Totally sketched out with Google Maps' suggestions, I switched to yelp. The first service I called on yelp was reasonably priced, was actually the person com…

Maybe nobody's trying to game Yelp because it's not the 800lb gorilla?

Re: A large network of fake Google Maps comments/reviews and fake businesses

#20

Post by jaycroft »

jaycroft wrote: post #16
kris_wayton wrote: post #10

I remember this being especially bad for certain niches like locksmiths. In that space, someone would create fake businesses and then take the leads they got via phone, email, websites, etc, and then refer the business to some actual locksmith. With probably heavy mark-up to cover the referral fee.

Oh wow, see my other comment in another thread. I had a ridiculously bad experience trying to get a key fob made last week - all the numbers would lead me around in circles, then I'd get "spam caller" numbers calling me telling me they were on their way. Switching to Yelp reviews seemed to solve the problem for locksmiths in particular, and I really can't figure out why...

Replying to myself to add: for any other household service I probably wouldn't have even noticed. But, being in a vulnerable position, having sketchy locksmith services really freaked me out. You want my address and credit card info and also know that I have a disabled vehicle potentially outside of my garage? No thanks, not taking any extra chances here.
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