Google Search and Google Maps display business panels with contact details such as phone numbers, addresses, and websites. Scammers are exploiting this system:
They alter the official business listing phone numbers.
Customers unknowingly call the scam number, thinking it’s legitimate.
Scammers then pose as the business, leading to fraud and financial losses.
This undermines trust in Google Business and puts both businesses and users at risk.
Users often rely on the first number shown on Google Search when trying to contact a business.
Small businesses may not even know their listing was tampered with until customers complain.
Scams are spreading quickly across banks, service centers, restaurants, and hospitals.
Protect user trust in Google Business listings.
Reduce scam-related risks by flagging suspicious edits or unverified numbers.
Strengthen Google’s reputation as a reliable business discovery platform.
Consumers searching for and contacting businesses on Google.
Business owners who manage their listings and want to keep details secure.
Google moderators ensuring listing authenticity.
How can Google prevent users from falling victim to fraudulent phone numbers on business panels, while still keeping the system open and editable for genuine businesses?
Design the UI flow + key screens for a scam protection system:
Number Verification Badge – Verified business phone numbers receive a “trusted” indicator.
Suspicious Number Alert – If a number was recently changed, show a warning label (e.g., “Recently updated – verify before calling”).
Crowdsourced Reporting – Users can flag suspicious numbers quickly, feeding into moderation.
Dual-Number Display – If verification is pending, show both the old verified number and the new number, letting users decide.
Owner Notification Flow – Business owners receive alerts when changes are made and can confirm/deny edits.
Must not overload users with technical warnings — needs simple, clear indicators.
Should respect the openness of Google Business edits, but add visible safety layers.
Must work in both desktop and mobile search panels.
Needs to scale globally while addressing urgent cases like Indonesia.