Very worried about a random place with my real name being added to my address on google maps. What can I do about it?
Posted by Hydesx@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 54 comments
I recently viewed my address on google maps and almost had a heart attack. It labels it as '[My real life first name] beauty salon' for some reason even though I don't own a business or a place and never have. It's a residential home.
I suggested an edit on google maps so that I could click “Doesn’t exist here” and in all fairness, it no longer shows up when I search my address on google maps on my phone. Still shows up when zooming in on my pc and my brother's pc and when we switch browsers.
I am now trying to work on getting my name removed fully from google maps since it is on my address as a supposed place associated with me.
I am not sure who could have set it up in the first place. I am wondering if I should involve the police and get an investigation launched. But I don't know where to start or whether to wait if this happens again.
Amazing-Visual-2919@reddit
I'd start by asking your kids ?
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
I dont have kids. My parents obviously wouldnt do this nor my brother who I all live with
HydrostaticToad@reddit
Ex? Disgruntled coworker?
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
Neither. I'm not the kind to disclose my home address to anyone at work.
HydrostaticToad@reddit
You might not disclose it but someone who is determined enough will be able to find it out. Your employer has your address on file, yes? Someone who knows someone who works in HR could get it very easily.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
So in that case, get police involved so that they can track down which google account added this place to dox me? And by using the google account, they can narrow down who has done this. Cos if they have done it once, they might do it again even if I get google maps to take down my doxed name
HydrostaticToad@reddit
I can guarantee that neither Google nor the police will give the slightest shit at this point. Make sure you get screenshots and timestamps of everything and create a timeline if you're worried someone is fucking with you. I would also be looking through bank and card statements for any signs of fraudulent transactions, and investigating any other possible avenues for identity fraud or people harassing or stalking you online. Anyone snooping your socials, weird messages, friend requests from people you don't know in person, friends' accounts that might have been hacked and are posting stuff they wouldn't normally post etc. good luck
Dry_Yogurt2458@reddit
Do you spend a long time doing your make up? Your brother could have done it as a joke
HydrostaticToad@reddit
If nothing else works you could try submitting your own correction, saying that a very generic and boring business is located there, something that sounds like just an office with no public-facing aspects. Like "General Specialized Solutions Ltd" or some bs and then if the postcard comes you can put the code in. It's still annoying to have your address come up with a business there but at least it's not your actual name or a place anyone would want to go
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
If I do this, would that block people from trying to edit or add places tied to my personal address in the future?
JeffreyEpsteinUK@reddit
In theory it should because if you proved your presence by inputting a code that was mailed to the address, surely future revisions would require You to be the approver, or a new code to be entered?
Good idea from Hydrostatic
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
The thing is whoever placed the fake business / shop managed to set it up without a code. So I am not sure if a code will be mailed to me.
HydrostaticToad@reddit
No idea. It's just a thought
HydrostaticToad@reddit
Other business names that nobody would ever bother visiting or contacting:
Blooming Algae Bioresearch and Jacuzzi Rentals
Quick and Dirty Industrial Cleaning
Frantic Squirrel Event Planning
Blockbuster LLC
Just Jupiter UAP Identification Services
Sloppy Jo's Accounting
Randomfinn@reddit
This is just your first name? There are very few unique first names, could this be a legitimate business owned by someone with your same first name.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
just my first name but its literally right on my property, thats the creepy part
JeffreyEpsteinUK@reddit
If you 100% dont remember ever setting up a Google business profile in the past, then someone is trying to annoy you / leak your info by submitting a fake business into google maps.
Like all things megacorporate, you will have to enjoy speaking to lots of Bots and shit support representatives to get it addressed, but I'm sure you will eventually succeed at getting it changed.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
is there a way to find out who it is and report them to the police and press charges against them?
Peaking info is no small matter
JeffreyEpsteinUK@reddit
You're right it isn't a small matter. Its harassing at the very least.
There is pretty much no way to find who it is, unless they were dumb enough to put their own email or details in the Info Fields.
For some similar cases to maybe look into to get ideas of how to approach it,
Someone is doxxing me on my home address with a fake business name - Google Maps Community
Google themself have the offense within their glossary, which you can refer back to in any reports and claims you make:
Doxxing - Maps User Generated Content Policy Help
In theory you could make an online police report through your local police webpage, but they are probably about as capable of reaching out to google as you are.
MajesticKey8647@reddit
You need a google account to edit or add a place. I can't imagine it being too hard for the police to track the account and the details of the person owning the account.
JeffreyEpsteinUK@reddit
The hard part is where the police have to communicate to google that they need the details of the creator of the place.
And then google has 0 employees that care about it because it's all automated crap.
The police would/will eventually get it rectified, that's the avenue I would take if I felt harassed and was in your situation. But my point was that it would probably take just as long as if you yourself got it rectified.
If there's a will theres a way.
MajesticKey8647@reddit
It's not about just rectifying it, its about punishing the person who is lowkey committing a crime. What stops them from repeating this to harass OP again?
As OP said, leaking private info is distressing and quite frankly should be dealt with harshly.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
Good thing I did do the edit and submit that business redressal form. I guess I just need to wait then?
Although if that post is anything to go by, it looks like the OP wasn't helped
JeffreyEpsteinUK@reddit
Yea I would just wait.
Its hard to say if people in these forums solved their issue because people who fix their problem tend to not bother returning to the thread.
Hopefully it gets sorted.
Randomfinn@reddit
Ah, sorry I didn’t catch it was tied to your real address. Probably someone doing a dumb prank tbh
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
I wish I could just laugh it off but it's literally a form of doxxing.
Appropriate-Luck-372@reddit
It's a shame, this is more or likely someone you know. I've read of this being done before. Google need to change their verification process for personalising addresses. Wish you well.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
How do I even get this removed? I have submitted "place does not exist" which only resolved the issue on my phone. I just submitted a report fraudalent business form as well. Do I need to go on google forums as well?
Scarred_fish@reddit
I can take a few days to a few weeks to process, but the removals do happen. You're not seeing it on your phone as thats the device you removed it on.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
Thanks makes sense. Honestly the fact that google lets this happen is annoying and dangerous.
Scarred_fish@reddit
Many people don;t understand that google maps is created by users. The same applies to road names etc. We had an issue where someone decided to have fun renaming all the roads in our area, effectively swapping them around so that the navigation would take people to the wrong place.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
yes but there has to be a way to stop getting doxxed on google maps
Appropriate-Luck-372@reddit
I really don't know. if I was in your position my head would be fizzing. Forums may help. I looked at that business redressal complaints form. It doesn't fill me with confidence.
Witty_Entry9120@reddit
Search companies house for your name / address/ name of the business.
Sounds like a company has been registered in your name and with your address - likely for financial crime purposes.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
It was never an actual company. I guess someone just clicked "add a missing place"
kaveysback@reddit
I'd check companies house if you haven't already just to be sure, fake businesses registered to addresses is a common tactic used for financial crime.
Defend your property: Understanding and preventing Companies House fraud | NRLA https://share.google/lwCE5ECNqW1xuE1kG
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
I did the search. Nothing came up. Like I said, I don't think this was a business being set up fake or real, rather someone just editing "add a place" and using my name in the place name.
kaveysback@reddit
Glad you did the search, better to be safe than sorry. Don't have any advice apart from maybe report it from multiple devices/accounts, it adds credibility that the listing is fake if there's more than one report.
Other than that I have no idea, good luck though.
Amazing-Visual-2919@reddit
I doubt that. This is purely on Google. If you look at their maps there's all sorts of weird stuff. There's an international airport in a village by me apparently. They haven't even got a petrol station there.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
how they think its acceptible is beyond me.
AsparagusDramatic475@reddit
Have you tried clearing your cache/data for Google maps on the devices where it is still visible?
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
I've tested my work laptop and it shows up. It shows up in the same way that as I scroll to zoom, it briefly flashes then disappears as I zoom further before appearing again.
Kiss_It_Goodbyeee@reddit
Sounds it's working is way out of the distributed databases in google. The deletion takes time to cascade through al the places it has been cached on the servers. Give it a day or two.
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
I will try and update
ProgressMiserable878@reddit
This is why I don't like Google or Windows anything. Mobile are spying on us all. I don't ever save my driving history nor use Google maps.
Lonely-Department329@reddit
Anyone can add a business or service to Google Maps. The way Google has always verified this is by sending a postcard to the address in question with a code on it. That is intended to ensure only the person who lives at the premises can create or change the entry.
billy_tables@reddit
Think you've 2 things mixed as one. You get the postcard to claim ownership of the business, but anyone can add anything in the first place, (as in, anyone can add missing businesses when they don't own them)
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
"but anyone can add anything in the first place"
Why is this even a thing in the first place?
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
are you trying to say I did this?
CellistLow8857@reddit
I dunno what they’re on about because I added google business listings and defo didn’t get a postcard with a number on it!
Surreywinter@reddit
How common is your name?
Google my name (including middle initials) and you get a well established hairdresser
Not me - but someone real with the same name
Hydesx@reddit (OP)
why would the name be on my specific address though?
RobCarrol75@reddit
You can request images of your property are removed from Google maps completely. I've done this at every address I've lived at since Google maps was launched. I did get some creepy fucker commenting on a local Facebook page once speculating all sorts, completely oblivious to the fact you can remove the images.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.