Well, they’re probably not. At least once a month someone calls or emails to ask us why Google is calling them, what action they need to take, and how to make it stop. These calls can become quite frequent and annoying, especially when you don’t know if they are legitimate. Here is the down low on these calls.
Are These Calls Legitimate?
There are countless scammers out there posing as real Google representatives or automated Google representatives. However, there can be times when Google is actually trying to reach you. Here’s how to identify whether it’s a real call from Google representative or from a possible scammer:
- Google will never make an automated unsolicited sales call.
- Google will never ask for your payment information over the phone.
- Perhaps the easiest way to determine if the call is from Google is to look for their designated US number. If the call is from 650-203-0000, then it is from Google.
- If Google is calling you, you can opt-out of the calls.
- Only the owner of your Google account can initiate a verification call or a call to claim your location. Meaning, you’ll know exactly when you will receive this call. It will not happen randomly.
How Do You Determine if the Call is a Scam?
The above qualifiers will help you determine if Google is trying to contact you. The gist of these scams is to get people to pay for services that Google offers for free. You can certainly hang up and ignore the calls going forward, but we suggest you to take action against these shady characters so they don’t trick somebody else into jeopardizing their finances and information. We recommend reporting the calls to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint.
You should also avoid responding or pressing any key, even if the voice recording prompts you to, in order to speak with a live person or to be taken off the call list. Pressing a key may lead to more unwanted calls.
Google My Business Management
Do you have any more questions about your Google My Business account? We manage dozens of accounts like yours. Our goal is to optimize the tools Google gives us to make your business more visible and easy to reach. DYK?…
- 3.5 billion Google searches are made every day. (Internet Live Stats)
- The volume of Google searches grows by roughly 10% every year. (Internet Live Stats)
- 90% of searches made on desktops are done via Google. (Statista)
- 35% of product searches start on Google. (eMarketer)
- 34% of “near me” searches done via desktop and tablets result in-store visits. (HubSpot)
Have you ever considered outsourcing your social media management? We like to say, “Take control of your online presence while letting go of the work.” Connect with us and check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and of course, Google My Business.