Before and After Cleaning Up Google Maps Locksmith Listings
When StopLocksmithFraud began its work, New York City’s Google Maps was overwhelmed by an extreme clustering of locksmith listings. Hundreds of red pins blanketed the map, many tied to fake business names and addresses. This flood of fraudulent listings pushed legitimate locksmith shops out of search results, allowing deceptive operators to dominate.
Through a targeted cleanup campaign, we helped initiate a major sweep that dramatically reduced this oversaturation. The number of locksmith listings was reduced to more accurately reflect the reality on the ground, giving a clear and truthful view of active businesses in NYC. By removing fake and misleading listings, our efforts have made it easier for consumers to find real, trustworthy locksmiths — and avoid costly scams.
Before
After
A landmark investigation by The New York Times uncovered the inner workings of these deceptive practices, revealing that many listings are linked to foreign “call centers that dispatch unskilled subcontractors who use deceptive tactics to get jobs and then overcharge customers” (NYT, 2016). These fraudulent listings often appear legitimate to unsuspecting consumers, but they use fake business names, non-existent addresses, and falsified reviews to dominate Google’s search results.
Despite being aware of the problem, Google has struggled to adequately enforce the rules on the Maps platform. As The Wall Street Journal reported, “Google Maps is littered with millions of false business addresses… deceiving customers and robbing legitimate businesses of work.” The report goes on to say that Google’s platform “hosts more false listings than legitimate ones in certain categories, including locksmiths” (WSJ, 2019).
The consequences are real: consumers are misled, scammed, and sometimes endangered. Meanwhile, ethical, licensed locksmiths are pushed out of visibility in search results. Without decisive action from platforms like Google, Yelp, and others, the fraud continues to thrive unchecked.