The google listing scams

Told me I needed to update my information so clients could find me. I don't think so.

Im getting dozens of calls a day and they wont stop. A rep identified one company as oasis media in fl. I want to file suit but im unclear on how to do so.

Well, first you need to know WHO and WHERE your caller is to file suit. Do you have that information?

Well you have their name and I easily found their address.  If you do not know how to properly write up a complaint, file it with the court, and then follow through on the resulting paperwork, motions, and discovery, then you will need to hire an attorney that is licensed in your state.

Has anyone used the new Google Form for reporting abusive robocalls lately (https://support.google.com/business/contact/gmb_3p_complaints)?

Since I last used it, the form now requires the people filling it out to include a link to their business on Google maps and a link to the calling third party's web site even though neither field is marked on the form as required. If neither exist/apply, leaving them blank or entering a dummy value such as http://127.0.0.1 result in an error.

If a company that gets called has no Google Business Listing, or the caller doesn't give out their homepage, how are we supposed to complain about telemarketers that may be improperly using Google's intellectual property? Does Google not care about abusive calls as much any more?

I use it every time. If I have a recording of the call, provide a link to an upload of the recording so Google can listen  to the spammer themselves. I have a Google business listing, so I haven't had a problem with that. If you can't identify the 'google partner', filling out the rest of the form is more difficult.

They sued Local Lighthouse over issues of trademark abuse, so I know they have taken it seriously at least once. Hopefully they will continue to do so. It had some impact, at least for a while, since Egumball stopped saying announcing themselves as "Google Map Support" for a while and just stated they were "Map Support".

TormentingTelemarketers,

I hadn't thought about recording the call, so that gives me something to consider doing moving forward - especially when I can get them to identify their company or if it's a repeat call from a previously-identified one.

I looked up our company name on Google and copied the URL to our address on Google Maps. I'm not sure if that will work for the other field, but it seems to be worth a try.

From here, it's frustratring that after filing complaints for the past year and a half, recent changes to the form may prevent me from continuing to make reports when I have information on who called. At the same time, I speculate that just maybe the new requirements were added to prevent false flagging (filing false reports). In that case, I could understand Google's rationale.

Thanks again. You've one of the many valuable resources on here. 🙂

Quote:

I hadn't thought about recording the call, so that gives me something to consider doing moving forward

Just check your state laws on recording calls. I'm in a single party state, so I feel free to do so.

That was the first thing I checked upon reading your reply. My state is one-party as well. So, I'm good to go.

I’d like to thank y’all for advising about recording calls. I checked and my state is also a one party consent state. Since 99% of my calls are blocked for scam callers, I will probably never get the opportunity to record one but it’s good to know I can and not get in trouble. At least not anymore trouble that I get into anyway LOL.

record the calls and put them on youtube..let them know at the end of the call that they are going to be in youtube

Oh, yeah, that'll scare 'em straight.

Just make sure Google is aware of it. Let them know what's going on and who these people are that call saying "Google Map Support" and almost refuse to say the name of their company. Let Google scare them straight (out of business).

Is that your post below?  I wanted to make sure since it was an unreg version of your s/n.

Right. No scammer is going to be "scared straight" by Google or anyone else.