There are an increasing number of scams on Google Maps. Thousands of fraudulent business profiles are removed by Google.
In addition to helping us find services and businesses and avoid getting lost in a large city, apps like Google Maps allow us to see user reviews and navigate to different locations.
Google is constantly on the lookout for these kinds of phony companies that could be concealing more serious frauds, though, as this is not the first time we have come across phony Google Maps reviews or even nonexistent businesses.
Sadly, it has happened once more, and Google has found at least 10,000 fake business listings on Google Maps that hide scams ranging from legitimate companies that lost control of their accounts after being hacked to nonexistent businesses.
Google has launched a lawsuit against the scammers and removed thousands of fraudulent companies from its Google Maps app.
Not only did these fraudulent profiles belong to fictional businesses, but they also caused real businesses to lose access to their accounts.
The majority of these businesses are usually in the "duress" sector, which refers to services that people need immediately, like locksmith services. Many of these businesses have phony reviews to help scammers move more quickly.
After a Texas company filed the first complaint, Google looked into it and found thousands of businesses were involved in fraud.
To advertise themselves and broaden their reach, the scammers seem to have collaborated with agents worldwide and leveraged social media.
Google already banned about 12 million phony profiles from Google Maps in 2023, so this is nothing new.
Google promises to donate the money to anti-fraud organizations if it prevails in the case.
Because not all companies on Google Maps are reliable and reviews can occasionally be fraudulent, you should always exercise caution. Verifying these companies via additional means, like their social media accounts, is a smart idea.