Caller identified herself as being with Google Maps, which matched the caller ID, and asked me for our street address. Then she asked for me to confirm our store hours and what kind of business classification we'd come under. Exactly the information one would expect Google to need in order to confirm that our Google Map listing was up to date and that we were indeed still in business. The caller was polite, the connection was reasonable (didn't sound like a cell-phone), and after I'd provided the information she thanked me and that was it. Clearly this was not phishing by a "directory listing" scammer, which is what most calls are when someone asks me to give them our address. If you get a call from this number I'd advise answering it. It's a few seconds out of your day, but you'd spend more time than that trying to get your listing back on Google if they pull it for being unverifiable.
Got a call from this number today. They just started trying to verify the address, website, phone etc. without identifying themselves. The person speaking had a thick (indian?) accent. I asked who was calling and he said he was calling from Google maps. I said "Google maps, from Google.com?" and he said yes. I said the information was correct. If this really is Google they are very unprofessional. In my line of work I have to make a lot of phone calls and the first thing I do is identify both myself and the company I work for. I'm afraid this might be a scam of some sort...
I, too, received a call from this number (650) 253-2000. I also have a business. They did not introuduce themselves as any legitimate company would. The indian F@@er just asked to verify my address. When I asked why and who he was, he just repeated the question.
IF THIS WAS A LEGITAMATE COMPANY, THEN HE WOULD HAVE HAD NO REASON NOT TO IDENTIFY THE COMPANY HE WAS WORKING WITH.
I would suggest all of you watch your ip addresses in your business websites. Check the ips in Project HoneyPot to see if they have any info about the address or you can also go to DomainTools. There are many tools to do this with. I just suggested the two that I use on a regular basis.
If the ip host does not point to google servers- then they are NOT GOOGLE. They are spoofing, "imitating", so forth....
Got a call from 650-253-2000, highly distorted line sound quality. They immediately told me are you at so and so? I ask who the where, all I got was we are "verifying a business directory listing". If the bone head said he was from Google, I'd be okay with it! Not some unknown foreign voice from India or Malaysia who is looking to steal my identity.
Google get your act together. A simple courtesy of properly addressing people would be nice and identifying themselves would be good. But this is the difference with North America standards and culture, vs other places. Stop outsourcing your jobs and bring them home to America.
Claiming to be google maps updating our business information. Funny though, I've been listed with google maps for 3 years and they've never called me before. The guy kept trying to get more information and the line was very staticky- like he was using a cheap headset or something. Didn't sound very professional. Maybe he was legit, but I got the heeby-jeebies from the call and hung up.