There is an interesting response from Google's Jade Wang in a Google Business Help thread.
The issue was, a person received a verification code via snail mail from Google Business Local, in order to verify a business on Google Maps. But the issue was, it was made out to the person's name but the business was not hers. She said:
Received a Google notification with a verification code inside for a business I do not own. Has my full name and address on the front with the business name listed. Can't seem to find any help on the website and when I try to find a Google # to contact someone, it was me to input my email address. I do and it says it won't submit unless a valid email is submitted...no matter what email address I enter it says that so of course no phone # will show. Help please :)
Google's Jade Wang responded that she should disregard the information and if someone calls pretending to be from Google, to hang up on them. Jade wrote, "If you don't recognize the business name and did not request the postcard, please do not reveal the code/PIN on the postcard to anyone who asks -- even if they call pretending to be Google."
It seems like some folks are mailing these postcards to specific people who are not the business owners to get them to trick them into giving them the verification code, in order to hijack a listing?
Scary!
Forum discussion at Google Business Help.
Image credit to BigStockPhoto for breaking in
