How do I report a fake business listing on Google Maps?
Short answer
Open the listing in Google Maps and use Suggest an edit to correct the name or mark the business as not existing. For fraud, or several listings from one operator, file Google's Business Redressal Complaint Form with evidence. Google reviews reports and decides for itself, so a report may or may not lead to a change.
Use “Suggest an edit” on the listing in Google Maps to report a fake listing, or file Google’s Business Redressal Complaint Form. The first is quick and suits a single listing. The second is Google’s form for reporting misleading or fraudulent business information on Maps, and it lets you explain the case and attach evidence. Neither route comes with a promise that Google will act.
Route one: suggest an edit on the listing
Open the listing in Google Maps, choose “Suggest an edit”, and pick the option that fits. If the name carries words that aren’t part of the real name, suggest the correct name. If no such business operates there, choose the option to close or remove the listing and give the reason. The labels on these options change from time to time, so follow what the screen shows you. Google reviews suggested edits and may accept them, reject them or leave them pending. Suggest only what you can show to be true.
Route two: the Business Redressal Complaint Form
Use the complaint form when an edit isn’t enough, as with several listings run by one operator or a listing that survived a suggested edit. It also suits any case that needs explaining. Search for the form by name to find the current version on Google’s help site. Give the Maps link for each listing and say plainly what is wrong. Then attach evidence, such as:
- A photo of the address showing that no such business is there.
- The company’s own website, trucks or signage showing its real name.
- A public license record. In California, the Contractors State License Board has a license lookup, so the name on a license can be compared with the name on a listing.
You may not hear back about what was decided.
What counts as fake, and what doesn’t
A listing is reportable when it misrepresents the business. A listing you simply dislike isn’t.
| Reportable | Not reportable |
|---|---|
| A listing for a business that doesn’t exist | A real competitor that outranks you |
| A listing at an address where the business doesn’t operate, such as a mailbox or virtual office | A service-area business that hides its address, which Google allows |
| Several listings for one company without a real location behind each | A company with several real, staffed locations |
| A lead-selling listing that forwards calls to whichever contractor pays | A business whose reviews you doubt (that is a different process) |
| A name padded with services and cities that aren’t in the real name | A business whose real name happens to include a service or a city |
Suspect reviews go through a separate process for getting a fake or unfair review removed. A padded name is a case of keywords in a business name, reportable only when the extra words aren’t part of the real name.
What to expect afterward
Nobody outside Google can tell you whether a report will be acted on or when. Some are, some aren’t, and a listing that was removed can reappear. Keep a simple record of the listing, the date and what you reported, and look again later.
Report honestly, and once. Don’t ask staff, friends or family to pile on with duplicate reports, and never report a real competitor as fake. That’s dishonest, and it’s the same abuse you’re complaining about.
Whether it’s worth your time
A report pays off when the fake listing actually sits above you in places you want work from. Before spending an evening on reports, check where that is true. A rank grid shows which businesses hold the map pack at each point across your service area, and I include that in competitor analysis. Removing one fake listing moves you up one place, and only where it was above you. The larger gains usually come from your own profile and the rest of what goes into map pack ranking.