How Do You Report a Fake or Spam Business on Google Maps?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

For a listing that’s misleading or doesn’t seem to exist, open it on Google Maps, select Suggest an edit, then Place is closed or not here, and choose the misleading option. For suspected fraud, like fake names, phone numbers, or websites, use Google’s Business Redressal Complaint Form. For a business offering rewards for reviews, use Report business conduct in the Google Maps app. Gather proof first, report only real rule-breaking, and keep a log.

What this means

Spam listings hurt honest businesses. A fake “locksmith” with ten listings at made-up addresses, or a competitor named “Best Cheap Roofer Spokane” instead of their real name, can push real businesses down in the results.

Google’s guidelines say there should be only one profile per business and that profiles must represent the business accurately. Google gives the public a few ways to report problems:

Suggest an edit. For wrong information, or a place that’s closed, fake, or misleading.
Business Redressal Complaint Form. For suspected fraud, such as misleading names, phone numbers, or websites. Google’s help says you can report many businesses at once with a spreadsheet of links.
Report business conduct. In the Google Maps app, for businesses offering incentives for reviews.
Report a review. For single reviews that break the rules (see 14.10.2 Flagging Reviews That Break the Rules).

Say the owner of Sunrise Garage Doors notices three new garage door listings in town, each at an empty lot, each with a call center number. She takes screenshots, checks the addresses on Street View, notes the phone numbers all ring the same place, and submits them together on the redressal form.

Why it matters

Fake listings take your calls. Customers who call a fake listing often get overcharged and blame the whole trade.
Keyword-stuffed names can outrank you. Google’s rules don’t allow extra words in the name, but some businesses do it anyway.
Bad reports waste your time. Reporting competitors for things that aren’t against the rules won’t work and can look like harassment.
Your own profile has to be clean. Before you report others, make sure your profile follows the same rules.

Who this applies to

Any business that competes in Google Maps results. It matters most in trades with lots of spam, like locksmiths, garage doors, towing, movers, and some home services.

If a fake listing uses your business name or pretends to be you, that’s impersonation. Report it and talk to an attorney.

How to do it

Check your own profile first. Fix anything that breaks the rules (see 14.1.1 Business Name and 14.1.2 Address).
Confirm the problem. Look up the address on Google Maps Street View, check whether there’s a sign, check the business name against a state business search, and call the number if it’s safe.
Take dated screenshots of the listing, its name, address, phone, website, and anything misleading.
For a fake or misleading listing, open it on Google Maps. Select Suggest an edit, then Place is closed or not here, then the option for offensive, harmful, or misleading, and submit.
For a wrong name or wrong details, use Suggest an edit and propose the correct information, such as the business’s real name.
For suspected fraud, or for several listings at once, use Google’s Business Redressal Complaint Form, linked from the Google Maps Help page on reporting a business. Include links to each listing and your evidence.
For a business offering incentives for reviews, open the listing in the Google Maps app, tap Suggest an edit, then Report business conduct at the bottom.
Log each report: date, listing, problem, method used, and result.
Check back in a few weeks. Google’s help doesn’t say whether it will tell you the result, so look at the listing yourself.

What proof to keep

Dated screenshots of each reported listing
Street View screenshots or photos showing no business at the address
Notes on phone calls, state business search results, and website checks
Your report log

Keep these in your marketing records. If you need to report again, you’ll have your evidence ready.

Common mistakes

Reporting without proof. Google needs clear evidence. “They’re not real” isn’t enough.
Reporting a competitor just for being a competitor. Only report real rule-breaking.
Ignoring your own violations. Report others only after your profile is clean.
Reporting the same listing every day. Submit once with good evidence, then check back.
Fighting fake reviews in public replies. Report the review instead.
Calling a spam listing and arguing. It doesn’t help and may not be safe.

When to get help from a pro

Attorney: if a listing uses your business name, logo, or phone to impersonate you, or a competitor’s fake listings are causing you real losses. Questions to ask:

Is this listing infringing my trademark or business name?
What can I do outside Google’s reporting tools?

A GBP specialist: if reports aren’t working and spam keeps coming back.

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, a spam cluster you’ve reported in a client’s area, or what evidence made Google act.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile management, including spam monitoring.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: any spam I reported in SiteSmarty’s market and the method I used]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the report screen and the report log]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

How do I report a fake business on Google Maps? Open the listing, select Suggest an edit, then Place is closed or not here, and choose the misleading option. For suspected fraud, use the Business Redressal Complaint Form.

How do I report a competitor with keywords in their name? Use Suggest an edit to propose their real name, with proof like a photo of their sign. For a pattern of misleading names, use the Business Redressal Complaint Form.

What is the Business Redressal Complaint Form? Google’s form for reporting suspected fraud on Business Profiles, such as misleading names, phone numbers, or websites. You can report several listings at once.

How do I report a business that pays for reviews? In the Google Maps app, open the listing, tap Suggest an edit, then Report business conduct.

Will Google tell me what happened? Google’s help doesn’t promise a reply. Check the listing yourself after a few weeks.

Audit check

Question: Does the business check its local market for fake or rule-breaking listings and report them with evidence through the right Google channel?
Pass looks like: Own profile follows the rules. Spam found in the market is documented and reported using Suggest an edit, the redressal form, or Report business conduct. A report log exists.
Fail looks like: No awareness of spam in the market. Reports with no evidence. Repeated reports against honest competitors. The business’s own profile breaks the same rules.
Evidence to collect: The report log, screenshots of reported listings, and evidence files.

Where this fits

Do this first: 14.1.1 Business Name, 14.2.1 In-Person Contact Requirement

Do this next: 14.9.1 Business Description

Sources

Google Maps Help, "Report a business on Google Maps" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Guidelines for representing your business on Google" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.