Google sometimes highlights impostors during searches for airlines, banks, as well as local businesses, according to a brand-new report in The Washington Post.
A victim who called what Google listed as Coinbase customer support was scammed out of $100,000 in 20 minutes by an impostor, Fortune reports.
Google told The Washington Post that it uses several methods to determine whether business listings are legitimate, including whether the alterations were “suggested by multiple users and if they have a history of contributing helpful edits.”
How can you spot a fake business listing?
According to Garage Door Medics, some signs include:
- The listed address does not appear on Google maps.
- The same phone number is used in multiple listings for different locations.
- Phone calls are answered using a different business names.
Scam listings can be reported to Google by using this link at support.google.com.
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