Back in the day, people used to say “leggo my eggo!” Nowadays, on the Internet, this has evolved to “leggo my GMB!”
According to Google, hijacking of Google My Business (GMB) listings are on the rise, so website owners have to stay vigilant that this has not happened to them.
According to Search Engine Land, GMB phishing is on the rise, “Unethical local marketers are effectively phishing, using the ‘claim this business’ link in the local Knowledge Panel/Profile. That generates an email request for control over the listing, which is sent to the registered owner of the profile.”
Search Engine Land goes on the quote a Google spokesperson who says, “We’re aware of this incident and are monitoring it closely and are continually working to keep the information on Maps safe and accurate. If a merchant ever receives a request to manage or to transfer ownership from an unknown person, they should decline the request. The rights to own or manage a Business Profile can only be granted if the verified merchant accepts the request or the requester proves their affiliation with the business.”
As Covid-19 continues to impact the bottom line of SMB’s, leaving some on the brink of shutting down, it’s important to monitor all types of Internet traffic being delivered to the business. And if you find some GMB shenanigans happening, be vigilant (but not vigilante), in addressing the issue so that your traffic isn’t being syphoned by some supercilious sycophant succubus and you can go back to doing what you do best, which is running your business!
Citations
https://localu.org/hijacked-google-my-business-listings-on-the-rise/
https://support.google.com/business/thread/43067424?hl=en
