TL;DR
There is a widespread scam targeting small business owners with fake calls claiming urgent Google Business Profile suspension threats. These callers impersonate Google specialists and pressure owners to call back or provide sensitive information. Legitimate Google calls do not ask for payments or immediate actions via unknown numbers. Always verify your profile status directly through your Google account and ignore unsolicited alarming calls.
- Scammers claim urgent Google Business Profile suspension to create fear and urgency.
- Legitimate Google calls do not request payments or private info over the phone.
- Verify suspicious calls by checking your Google Business Profile directly online.
Quick win: If you manage your profile yourself, log in to your Google Business Profile to check for warnings before reacting to any urgent-sounding calls.
We’re seeing another wave of scam calls targeting small-business owners with Google Business Profiles.
The script is simple: someone calls claiming to be a “listing verification specialist” or a “Google Business listing specialist.” They say there is an urgent problem with your listing, that it has been “flagged for review,” and that you need to call them back immediately or risk having your business removed or suspended from Google.
One of our own clients recently received this voicemail:
“It seems there’s a verification issue on your Google Business listing that requires immediate attention. Our system has flagged your listing for review by one of our specialists to make sure it doesn’t get removed or suspended from Google.”
The caller then instructed the business owner to call a separate toll-free number to “get this taken care of quickly.”
This is not how Google handles Google Business Profile suspensions or verification problems.
This Scam Appears to Be Widespread
A business owner recently reported an almost identical call on Reddit. In that case, the caller introduced himself as a “Google Business listing specialist,” claimed that the company’s listing had been flagged for immediate review, and warned that the profile could be suspended or removed if the owner did not call back. The person was also given a separate 866 callback number.
The wording is remarkably similar to the call our client received. The names and phone numbers may change, but the basic formula stays the same:
- Claim to represent Google or Google Business Profile
- Say there is a verification or account problem
- Create urgency
- Threaten suspension or removal
- Tell the business owner to call another number or take immediate action
The Biggest Red Flag: Manufactured Urgency
Google Business Profile suspensions are real, and they can be extremely disruptive. That makes them an effective subject for a scam.
A business owner who hears, “Your Google listing may be removed today,” may understandably feel pressure to act before stopping to investigate whether the call is legitimate.
That is exactly what makes this type of message dangerous.
A legitimate Google contact should not require you to make an immediate decision based solely on an unsolicited voicemail from an unfamiliar caller. If someone is trying to rush you into calling back, providing login information, making a payment, or clicking a verification link, treat that as a major warning sign.
Google Does Make Some Legitimate Calls
There is an important distinction here: not every phone call associated with Google is fraudulent.
Google says it may place automated or manual calls to businesses for purposes such as confirming business information, checking operating hours, helping customers make reservations, or handling certain Google account matters. However, Google says legitimate calls will not ask you to sign up for a service, provide private information, or make a payment.
Google also specifically warns business owners about callers who claim to work “with Google” or “for Google” while attempting to sell services or obtain information. If someone is impersonating Google, Google’s advice is simple: hang up.
How to Check Whether a Google Call Is Real
Back in October of 2024, we published a guide called Is That a Real Google Phone Number? that includes known Google phone numbers and resources for checking suspicious calls.
That guide is useful here because the phone number alone can provide an important clue. Google publishes information about numbers it uses for various automated and support-related calls, while scammers frequently use unrelated local numbers, toll-free numbers, spoofed caller ID, and other numbers that have no verifiable relationship to Google.
Keep in mind that caller ID should never be your only test. Phone numbers can be spoofed. The safest approach is to independently verify the issue rather than trusting the caller.
What to Do If You Receive One of These Calls
For most Prospect Genius clients, there’s a very easy way to handle this: call or message us.
Because we’re already managing and monitoring your Google Business Profile, you don’t need to spend time figuring out whether the caller is legitimate. Send us the voicemail, screenshot, phone number, or whatever information you received. In most cases, that takes about 30 seconds on your end.
We’ll investigate the claim, check your Google Business Profile, and make sure everything looks the way it should.
If Prospect Genius does not manage your Google Business Profile, you can still perform a quick check yourself:
- Do not call the number in the voicemail.
- Do not provide passwords, verification codes, payment information, or account access.
- Log into the Google account that manages your Business Profile using your normal Google login.
- Open your Google Business Profile and look for any warnings, restrictions, verification notices, or suspension messages.
- Check the email account associated with the profile for legitimate messages from Google.
If your Business Profile is active, you can access it normally, and Google is not showing you any warnings or account problems, there is a good chance that nothing is wrong and the caller can simply be ignored.
If you do see a warning or restriction, deal with the issue through your Google account or Google’s official support and appeals systems, not through the phone number supplied by an unsolicited caller.
If Your Listing Really Has Been Suspended
A real Google Business Profile suspension follows a formal process. Google provides a Business Profile appeals system where owners can review the affected profile, submit an appeal, and provide supporting documentation when necessary.
You do not need to trust a stranger on the phone simply because they know your business name or know that you have a Google Business Profile.
That information is often publicly available.
Report Suspicious Google Calls
Google provides a reporting process for calls that falsely claim to represent Google. Google recommends recording information such as the caller’s company name, phone number, and any follow-up emails or documentation.
U.S. business owners can also report fraudulent calls to the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission.
The Bottom Line
If an unfamiliar caller tells you that your Google Business Profile has suddenly been “flagged,” “requires immediate attention,” or is about to be suspended unless you call them back, don’t assume the claim is legitimate just because it sounds urgent.
Verify it independently.
If you’re a Prospect Genius client and we manage your Google Business Profile, that can be as simple as sending us a quick message. We’ll check the profile and make sure everything is in order.
If you’re managing the profile yourself, log into your Google account directly and inspect the Business Profile. If the listing is active and there are no warnings, suspension notices, or verification problems, you’re likely just fine and can ignore the caller.
The important part is that you verify the problem through Google, not through the person who called you claiming there is one.
Fake GBP Calls FAQs
