Top 5 Trending Marketing Scams
Protect yourself and your business against these top trending marketing scams.
As 2025 ramps up, scammers are targeting businesses with deceptive marketing calls and emails at an increasing rate. They often create a false sense of urgency, claiming “urgent issues” with your online presence or “expiring services” to pressure you into making quick decisions.
If you receive one of these calls, the best course of action is to hang up, politely request to be removed from their call list, and end the conversation. Never provide personal or business information to someone you do not know, as legitimate platforms like Google or other trusted services will not contact you in this manner.
I got a call from a company saying my business is not showing up on voice assistants like Google, Alexa, or Siri and that I need to take urgent action. Is this real?
No. Hang up and, if possible, request to be removed from their call list. Google and other voice assistants pull data from verified online listings like Google Business Profiles. If your business information is accurate and verified, it is likely already accessible through voice search. There is no need to pay for additional services.
I received a call from someone claiming to be with the "Business Help Center," saying there is an urgent issue with my Google Business Listing and asking me to call back. Is this legitimate?
No. This is a scam company attempting to sell unnecessary services. The key red flag is that Google will never contact you by phone about your Google Business Listing, especially with claims of "urgent issues." Ignore the call and avoid engaging with these types of messages.
I got an email claiming to be from Google Ads support, saying my account will be suspended unless I click a link and verify my payment info. Is this legitimate?
No, this is a phishing scam. Google will never send emails asking you to click a link to verify sensitive account or payment information. Always log in directly to your Google Ads account to verify any issues.
I received a message on Facebook or Instagram saying the platform will delete my account unless I click a link to confirm my account details within 24 hours. Should I be concerned?
No. This message isn't from Facebook at all. It's a malicious ploy by scammers seeking to harvest sensitive personal information. Should you receive such a suspicious email, text, or social media message, exercise extreme caution. Refrain from clicking any links or opening attachments, as these could lead to exploitation of your data. See our blog post on Facebook scams here.
I received an invoice saying my domain is going to expire or needs to be “listed” to stay online. Is this for real?
No. Operating under the guise of a legitimate invoice, an internet directory company named 'Domain Networks' sends what appears to be an authentic invoice asking for payment, seemingly requesting money for a “listing service” for your business. See our blog post about domain invoices here.
