Google is Not Calling

May 23, 2018

by

Rosario Méndez

Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

Have you gotten a robocall at work, telling you that you have to take action or your Google business listing will be removed? Or maybe even marked as permanently closed? That kind of thing could be tough for a business — if the threat was real. But those calls are not legit—and not from Google.

The FTC just filed a lawsuit against Point Break Media and others, saying they made just those kinds of calls. According to the complaint, people who believed the calls and then spoke to a live telemarketer were told that they could avoid the problem by paying a fee (up to $700). When people paid this fee, the scammers then allegedly targeted them with offers for even more expensive services that would supposedly improve Google search results.  Of course, nobody making those calls is affiliated with Google. And businesses can — for free — manage their own Google business listing.
In this case, the scammers targeted music instructors, house painting companies, car dealerships, and other small businesses. They knew that appearing in online searches is crucial for those businesses, and threatening that connection with customers might make people act before stopping to think.
If you get a call like this, don’t press any buttons. Don’t call the number back, and don’t engage. That just encourages the scammers. The best thing to do? Immediately hang up the phone, and then talk about it with your colleagues or employees. Let them know that:

• Scammers pretend to be someone you trust. They pretend to be connected with a company you know or a government agency
• Scammers create a sense of urgency. They want you to rush and make a quick decision without considering options.
• Scammers use intimidation and fear. It’s okay to hang up the phone and confirm what’s really going on before taking any action.

Then, sign up for the FTC’s Business Blog (FTC.gov/Subscribe), which will keep you up to date on what’s happening at the FTC, and how it affects your business. Also, check out FTC.gov/SmallBusiness. Knowing about scams that target small businesses will help you protect yours.