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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

#61

Post by SteveGerencser »

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…

What baffles me is how these networks flourish so easily yet Google can't tell a real business from a fake. The number of people calling me lately (I'm in the same business) about the Business Profile being removed by Google. Even active retail shops that have had their account for many years, with a clearly visibly business on Google maps. Their GBP simply vanishes and in a few cases, the only solution was to simply start over with a new profile.

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

#63

Post by [deleted] »

SteveGerencser wrote: post #61
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…

What baffles me is how these networks flourish so easily yet Google can't tell a real business from a fake. The number of people calling me lately (I'm in the same business) about the Business Profile being removed by Google. Even active retail shops that have had their account for many years, with a clearly visibly business on Google maps. Their GBP simply vanishes and in a few cases, the only solution was to simply…

[deleted]

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

#64

Post by twelve40 »

I recently ran into fake business on doordash of all places. I was in a hurry and ordered without reading too much. An hour and a half later canceled with a full refund from DD. Got curious and drove to the listed restaurant in person, it turned out to be some bank building. So it wasn't even a duplicate or impostor, it never existed. Since I got my money back, I'm assuming they are trying to scam doordash itself...

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

#65

Post by ge96 »

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…

Oh man drives me insane towing companies

I will keep that yelp idea in mind next time

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

#66

Post by booknotefinder »

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…

Almost got scammed by something like this when our dishwasher broke last year. Found on Google Maps a listing for “[locality] Appliance Repair”, in a small shopping center storefront nearby. Called the number and sounded like I had reached a large call center, with the sound of other people talking and typing in the background, so this was the first red flag (the storefront on the map would have been this small little place). They wanted a credit card number in advance, for which they’d charge $75 or something as a deposit, also unusual for this kind of business around here. Halfway through giving them my number my spidey sense reached a tipping point and I hung up.

Double checking the map later and looking at Street View, the storefront was conveniently obscured by a tree.

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

#67

Post by tomrod »

NoToP wrote: post #55
2h wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> GBP Google Business Profile. its common courtesy to use the full name with the first use, THEN abbreviate.

For Your Information (FYI) it's common...

It's not common enough, apparently, because now you have more than one person reminding you about it.

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

#68

Post by ajross »

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…

I'm with you up to this point:

> Oh and the real masters of this business model? Well they don't bother SELLING the leads to contractors, they will quite literally start their own company and will hire their own plumbers, electricians, concrete crews, etc to squeeze as much profit as possible.

So... the real masters of the business model are the ones... actually operating the businesses they claim to be operating?

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

#70

Post by themitigating »

twelve40 wrote: post #64

I recently ran into fake business on doordash of all places. I was in a hurry and ordered without reading too much. An hour and a half later canceled with a full refund from DD. Got curious and drove to the listed restaurant in person, it turned out to be some bank building. So it wasn't even a duplicate or impostor, it never existed. Since I got my money back, I'm assuming they are trying to scam doordash itself...

How though? Does Doordash instantly send the restaurant the money or is it like after a few days?
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