Tim Coco, president, COCO+CO.
Has your business been receiving calls, purportedly from Google, guaranteeing “top placement,” telling you your “profile is incomplete” or urging you to “claim your free website?”
COCO+CO., a Ward Hill-based advertising agency, receives calls daily from panicked clients saying they received what appears to be a robocall from Google, said COCO+CO. President Tim Coco.
“These are completely fraudulent,” he warns. “Even businesses that refuse the services offered often will find monthly charges suddenly appearing on their telephone bills. This is called ‘cramming,’” Coco added. He advises owners and managers to check their telephone bills for suspicious charges and not to pay mysterious invoices arriving by mail.
Google, itself, says it doesn’t place automated calls.
“Watch out for parties calling and selling services claiming to have a special relationship with or claiming to be Google. Often, these parties are telemarketers that are not affiliated with Google and are trying to leverage the Google brand to sell your business some type of online service,” the company says.
The company says it “does not place robocalls” or charge for inclusion in Google Search or Google My Business.
Many companies also receive scam emails and telephone calls from companies claiming to have assessed their website and found problems, Coco said.
Businesses with concerns about their websites or other marketing issues may call COCO+CO. at (978) 374-1900, ext. 111, for a free analysis.