Someone changed my Google Business Profile without asking. What do I do?

An unwanted change to your Google Business Profile is common, and it is usually fixable. Work through the steps below in order. Do the access check first, because fixing details before you secure the profile can mean the same change happens again.

Who can change my Business Profile?

Three groups of people can change it.

• Owners and managers. Google lets a profile owner add other people and give each one a role. Any member with the right role can edit your details.
• Customers and other Google users. Some attributes on your profile may be filled in from input by people who visit your business. Google’s help pages say this about attributes. Members of the public can also suggest edits to business details.
• Google itself. Google may update details automatically from other information it holds.

Start with the first group. A former employee, a past web designer, or an old marketing company often still has access.

How do I find out what changed?

1. Sign in to the Google Account that owns the profile.
2. Search for your business name and city, or search “my business”. Google’s verification page describes this as the way to find your profile.
3. Compare the profile with your records. Check the business name, address, phone number, website link, hours, category, and service area.
4. Write down every wrong detail and take a screenshot of each one. You may need them if you contact support.
5. Check your phone calls and website visits for a sudden drop. The Performance section shows calls and website clicks, and you can pick a date range. Performance data is only available for verified profiles.

A changed phone number or website link can send customers to the wrong place. Fix those first.

How do I stop it from happening again?

Do this before you correct the details.

1. Open the list of people who have access to your profile.
2. Look at each person and each role. Google says you need the person’s email address and a role to add a member, and you can remove members as well.
3. Remove anyone you do not know, and anyone who no longer works with you.
4. Keep the number of owners small. Give other people the lowest role that lets them do their job.
5. Change the password on the Google Account that owns the profile. Use a business email address that only you control.

If a former staff member is the primary owner, ask them to transfer ownership to you. Google’s sign-up page says a primary owner who is no longer the owner of the business must transfer ownership to the new owner.

How do I fix the wrong information?

1. Open your profile and select Edit profile.
2. Correct each detail you wrote down.
3. Save the change.
4. Look at the profile again later and confirm the change stayed.

Google reviews edits before they show. Google’s attributes page says a review usually takes about 10 minutes, but it can take much longer. Do not make the same edit again and again while you wait. Wait, then check.

If your business has no storefront that receives customers, keep your address hidden and show your service area instead. Google’s setup page says service businesses without a storefront must hide the address. A changed address on a service business profile can also cause trouble with Google.

What if I am locked out or someone else owns my profile?

If you cannot edit the profile, someone else may hold the ownership. Google’s sign-up page says that if someone else has already verified the business, you can request ownership of the Business Profile.

Verification matters here. Google says verifying gives you ownership of the profile and lets you edit details such as the business name and hours. If you must verify again, follow the options Google shows you. Google decides which methods you get and you cannot change them.

Keep your verification code private. Google says it will never ask for the code, and you should not share it with anyone, even people who manage your profile. Someone who asks for your code may be trying to take over the profile.

What if the change keeps coming back?

1. Check the owner and manager list again for new members.
2. Check whether your name, address, or phone number is wrong on other directory and review sites. Wrong details elsewhere can be pulled back into Google.
3. Check whether a second profile exists for your business. Google says to create only one profile for the metropolitan area you serve, and it may suspend an account if it finds several profiles for the same business.
4. Contact Google Business Profile support with your screenshots and a list of what changed.

If you think a competitor did this on purpose, keep your evidence. Deliberately false information about a business can raise legal issues in Canada. The Competition Bureau deals with misleading representations in marketing. For a serious case, ask a lawyer before you act.