Google will file lawsuits against scammers looking to sell Google Business profiles
- SEO |
Google explains:
"Today we are filing a lawsuit against scammers who sought to defraud hundreds of small businesses by impersonating Google through telemarketing calls. They also created websites advertising the purchase of fake reviews, both positive and negative, to manipulate reviews of Business Profiles on Google Search and Maps." |
"A Business Profile is a tool that allows business owners to take charge of the way their business appears on Search and Maps, and it allows consumers to find their favorite (or, soon-to-be favorite) coffee shops, restaurants or hardware stores. It's a tool designed to empower people. However, some scammers have tried to abuse and profit from it through deceptive and predatory practices." |
This new legal push intends to set a precedence for similar actions, which could help Google prevent this type of fraud in the future. This is a crucial push, especially for less web-savvy business owners who realize they need to prioritize Google and SEO but are unaware that they can already get such tools for free.
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