A enterprise often called G Verifier has been providing faux critiques and web page one rankings and charging enterprise homeowners charges free of charge Google Enterprise profiles (GBP).
G verifier, allegedly owned by Kaushal Patel, had threatened to pay a price (round $99) or danger their Google Enterprise listings being deactivated or completely closed. Companies have been additionally knowledgeable constructive critiques can be hidden, risking a loss in visibility and rankings in search engine outcomes pages (SERPs) and, finally, income.
Search Engine Land stated that lots of of current GBP customers had reported this rip-off since December 2021, and Google is proactively taking motion.
Google announced the lawsuit in its weblog, The Key phrase, on November 29, 2022, stating that it violates its insurance policies concerning misleading content material. Google is regularly dedicated to tackling fraud and malicious actions on-line. (Google Lawsuit)
According to SERoundtable, Google has already prevented over 12 million makes an attempt to create faux Google Enterprise accounts and over 8 million makes an attempt to steal GBPs from current enterprise homeowners.
Google has additionally supplied some ideas to assist companies keep away from turning into a sufferer to scammers, together with doing analysis earlier than agreeing to any providers, and if what’s being provided sounds too good to be true, it’s greater than doubtless that it’s.
This isn’t the primary time somebody has tried to impersonate Google, and it most definitely is not going to be the final.
So in case you suspect you’re a sufferer of or have been approached by a fraudulent firm claiming to signify Google, you may report their exercise to the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) or file a proper criticism at www.donotcall.gov or name 1-888-382-1222.
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