SEO

When Google Calls You, Is It Legitimate? There Are Lots of Scams

When you own a business, you likely will create a ‘Google My Business’ (or GMB) listing. Everything goes smoothly until one day, you suddenly receive a call claiming to be from Google. Has this happened to you? Well, Google rarely calls you unless you request a call from them specifically. So, who called you and asked for several personal details?

Recently, there have been many instances of calls being made to people and these callers claim that they’re calling on behalf of Google. More often than not, it is a scam. It is important that you do not share any personally identifiable information with these random calls. Even your email is something that can give them too much information if you are not careful.

Protect Yourself from Fake Google Calls

Most of these scammers will ask you for personal or professional details. Some may even threaten you, saying that they’re going to remove your business listing. This is a common way for them to trick you into sharing information you may not otherwise offer. Follow these simple steps to avoid getting scammed.

Google Employee Verification

When the caller claims to be from Google, ask them to verify themselves. A real Google employee would simply send you a verification email from their official email address which ends with @google.com. If they fail to do so, simply hang up the call and block the number.

Google Doesn’t Call and Ask for Money

tech giant like Google never calls and attempts to sell their services. If someone calls you up and asks for money in exchange for better Google rankings, disconnect the call and report it.

Be Aware of the Robocalls

Whenever you get a robocall claiming to be from Google, hang up quickly. Most of the time, it asks you to press a certain button. If you do so, you could end up in trouble.

If you want to avoid all the hassles and would like someone to manage your listings, we at Search SEO Chicago are just an email or call away. Reach out and let us know how we can help.

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Published by
Andrew Sansardo

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