Perth Business owners beware of scammers posing as Google employees visiting your premises offering Google PAID services.

Individuals purporting to work for Google my Business, visiting Perth business premises may be offering to get their business listed on Google My Business and Google Maps or offering to add photos of their business to enhance their Google listing …for $350 or more.

One of many services The IT Guys assists clients with is a FREE Google My Business listing in Google Maps, Google Search , Google Plus+ and Google Adwords, we know for a fact that this is a FREE service and that Google do not employ salesmen to visit business premises offering to have their business listed with photos …for a fee.

However, there are a number of door-to-door salesmen out there, from “Google-Affiliates” or “Google-Partners” who are offering to check, list and enhance your Google listing …for a fee.

We experienced a visit from Google a few weeks ago at our office in Subiaco. The young man entered the business, stood in our foyer and presented what appeared to be a Google Id card. He then took out his phone, pressed one button and said that he had just verified the location of our business on Google maps. When I explained to him that we were very familiar with Google and had our own Google Account Manager, he quickly left.

Yesterday, a client of ours in the Medical Industry, also in Subiaco, told us of a similar encounter but this time the man confirmed the listing and persuaded the receptionist to part with $350 immediately, so that their photographer could swing by immediately and take “Professional 360º panoramic photos” (example below) of the inside of the business and then add those photos of the business to their listing.

When the salesman came to the door initially he said he was from Google but later let it be known that he worked for a different company based in NSW (we cannot disclose the name of the company for legal reason). The company is legitimate and is, according to their website, a “GOOGLE AFFILIATE“.

The receptionist became suspicious and called us where we informed them that the Google listing and the adding of photos of the business was a completely FREE service.

She contacted the company in question who immediately reversed the credit card charge and cancelled the photographers visit.

What this company is doing is NOT illegal, but it is a door-to-door, hard-sell, that uses Google’s good name loosely in order to gain access to the premises.

Its very, very easy to have your business listed on Google so that customers can find you on their Mobile Phone, Device, iPad, Computer or Laptop. There is a good chance your business is already listed on Google start by clicking here and if your business is listed simply claim-it or add-it if it is not.

And if you need any help, simply contact us below but beware our advise and help is NOT for FREE. Time is money after all.

:jk: