Imagine that someone calls your business and tells you they are from Google. They tell you they can help you claim a listing or improve your business’ search rankings for a fee. You might believe them because they are from Google, a company with a trustworthy reputation, so this has to be legit.

WRONG!

This is how easily scams can fool a person and how quickly information can get into the wrong hands if the person does not recognize that this is a scam. To put it bluntly, Google will never call you unless you initiate contact first. If you wanted to request a call from Google, you would have to go through their online support system first and give them your phone number and email. So if that is not something you did before this Google call, then it is a scam. You can also tell if it is a scam if they ask for certain private information, like payment information or your account password, as they will never ask for either of those over the phone. If it is a robocall from someone who says they work for Google you can assume it is fake too, since Google does not use robocalls.

Scammers use different tricks to get you to believe them, as well as to get the information they want from you as quickly as they can. Most of the time they will pretend to be from a company or organization you trust. In the example of the Google phone scam, it would make sense why some people would fall for it since they trust Google and would have no reason to question whether or not it really is them. Not only that, but they will try to create a sense of urgency as they want to make you rush into making a decision so that you do not have time to think about it and consider other options. They may also try to intimidate you or use fear, as people or more likely to go along with something if they are pushed back into a corner and believe there are no other options. For the Google phone scam, they may threaten you and tell you that your company’s listing will be taken down from Google Search and Maps if you do not pay a renewal fee. This is a scam though since we know that Google does not try to sell their services to people and most of their services are free to use.

If you do find yourself in a situation where you are unsure if a call is a scam or not, try to get off the phone as quickly as possible once you realize it might be a scam. Although it might be rude, hanging up is one of the best things you can do because continuing to communicate will further engage and encourage the scammer. Never give out personal information like payment or account information. If they leave you a voicemail, do not call back. Be sure to save the number and report it to the FCC, as well as send any information about the call to Google to help them prevent future scams. After that, be sure to block the number so that they cannot call you again.

New scams are created everyday, so it can be easy to fall for a scam when you have never heard or seen it before. Always remember to be cautious and stay on your toes.

Need help sorting out what is real and fake? Quantifi Media can help you with that, as well as help your business grow through digital marketing. Contact us at (570) 620-6350 to schedule a free consultation today!