Guides · Small business owners
“Your Google listing has been flagged” texts and calls: scam or real?
Treat it as a sales pitch or a scam. Don’t call the number back. Sign in to your Google Business Profile yourself: if there really is a problem with your listing, Google shows it there.
A typical message reads like this: someone from a “business listing” company says your Google listing has been flagged for a category or verification issue and will be suspended or removed unless you call them today. Business owners in support groups report getting these daily.
How to tell
- It pushes urgency: “before this gets escalated”, “today”.
- It wants you to call a number back rather than check your own account.
- It comes from a company with a generic name, not from anything you can verify inside your Google account.
Check your listing yourself
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile with the account that manages it.
- Look for warnings, verification requests or suspension notices on the profile itself.
- If everything looks normal, ignore the message, and block or report the number.
If you do have a real problem, like a suspension or a stuck verification, fix it from inside your account, or use Google’s own support channels. You don’t need to pay a third party who contacted you out of the blue.
FAQ
Does Google ever call businesses?
Google can contact businesses, but it won’t pressure you to call a random number to avoid a suspension. When in doubt, check your profile directly rather than trusting the caller.
What if I already paid one of these companies?
Contact your card issuer about the charge, change the password on your Google account, and check who has access to your Business Profile.