Scam calls that “sound like Google” are back in heavy rotation. This time, the voicemail I received claimed to be from “Verified Listings Group,” and it used the same pressure tactics I’ve seen over and over: fear, urgency, and a convenient phone number to “fix it today.”
If you’ve received a call like this, or you manage a Google Business Profile for any business, treat this as a warning. These calls are engineered to create panic. They want you to act fast, before you think. In my particular case, I actually REMOVED my Google Business Profile completely from Google since I’m not a local business and technically don’t qualify for a local business listing. I’ve written about this before.
The Voicemail I Received From “Verified Listings Group”
At first glance, the voicemail sounds official enough. It’s a fairly short, urgent sounding message. But when you slow it down and actually analyze what’s being said—and just as importantly, what is not being said—the cracks show immediately.
The voicemail I received, shown above, included two different phone numbers:
Caller ID / number displayed: +1 (833) 448-4128 as well as 951-416-6685
What is unusual is how generic the actual message is.
The voicemail never mentions my name. It never mentions a business name. It never references a business address, a city, a category, a website, or even a specific Google account. That omission matters.
In fact, it matters even more in my case because I do not have any local business listings anywhere. No Google Business Profile. No Google My Business listing. Nothing to suspend. Nothing to “fix.”
That alone tells you this voicemail was not triggered by a real issue. It wasn’t based on an audit. It wasn’t based on a flagged listing. It was a cold, mass-distributed script.
The language is deliberately vague: “your listing,” “Google search,” “keyword issues,” “may be at risk of suspension.” These phrases are designed to apply to anyone. They’re interchangeable placeholders, not evidence of a real problem.
If you do own a local business and you do have a Google Business Profile, this kind of message can sound more believable. That’s the trap. The script doesn’t need to be accurate—it only needs to feel plausible long enough to get you to call back.
That’s why this tactic works. It relies on probability, not verification. Call enough numbers, and a percentage of recipients will have a listing, feel uneasy, and respond.
Transcript of the Voicemail
The transcript on the phone (marked “low confidence”) reads as follows. I’m reproducing it exactly as it appears, including the phone number and the “press 9” instruction:
Hey, it’s Beth with verified listings group.
Your listing on Google search is coming back as flagged in our system with keyword issues. If we don’t fix it, your business listing may be at risk of suspension. We’d like to get this fixed today, so please give us a call back at 951-416-6685. It will only take a few minutes. That’s 951-416-6685 to opt out call us back and press 9.
Notice what they’re doing. They display one phone number as the caller (+1 (833) 448-4128), then they instruct you to call a different number (951-416-6685). That’s not an accident. It’s part of the funnel.
The Claim: “Your Google Listing Is Flagged”
This voicemail claims my “listing on Google search” is “flagged” due to “keyword issues,” and warns my business listing “may be at risk of suspension.” Then it offers a fast fix “today.”
This is the classic profile-scam script. It’s vague enough to apply to anyone. It’s scary enough to prompt action. And it’s framed as a compliance problem, so you feel like you have to respond.
Reality Check: Google Typically Will Not Call You Out of the Blue
Here’s the rule of thumb that matters:
Google will not call you about your Google Business Profile unless you have already opened a support ticket (or otherwise initiated contact) related to your listing.
If you didn’t start a support interaction, assume the call is not Google. Full stop.
Why These Calls Work
Small businesses are busy. Owners don’t have time to dissect every claim. So scammers lean into urgency, confusion, and authority language. They want you in “fix it now” mode.
My friend Keith Evans put it bluntly, and he’s right:
“Thousands fall for it. The scammers target small rural towns and areas less educated. They are also more likely target businesses owned by immigrants who may have difficulty understanding English such as restaurants or contractors.”
That comment matters because it points to intent. These aren’t “marketing calls.” They’re engineered to exploit trust gaps, language barriers, and the fear of losing leads overnight.
What They Usually Want Once You Call Back
The voicemail says it will “only take a few minutes.” That line is doing a lot of work.
In many versions of this scam, the goal is to get you to pay for a “service” you don’t need, hand over access to your Google account, get added as a manager to your Google Business Profile, or share verification details that should never leave your control.
If someone can “fix” your profile in minutes, it’s usually because they’re changing something you could change yourself, or they’re taking access they shouldn’t have.
What To Do If You Get This Call
Don’t call back the number they provide. Don’t trust the caller ID. Don’t click any links they text or email you “to verify.”
If you are genuinely concerned about your Google Business Profile, go directly to official Google support and review the status from inside your account. If there’s a real issue, you will see it where it matters: in the product, in your dashboard, or in a legitimate support thread you initiated.
And if your phone provides it, use the “Report Spam” option. Calls like this continue because enough people get spooked and comply.
The “Verified Listings Group” voicemail is a textbook fear-based pitch. “Flagged.” “Keyword issues.” “Risk of suspension.” “Fix it today.” It’s a script designed to make you feel behind, guilty, and vulnerable.
If you didn’t open a Google support ticket first, treat unsolicited “Google listing” calls as hostile until proven otherwise. Your business profile is too valuable to hand to a stranger with a smooth voicemail and a second phone number.