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Google Business Profile Security for Small Businesses
Google Business Profile security protects the account that controls how your company appears in Google Search and Google Maps. Formerly called Google My Business, this profile may display your phone number, website, business hours, location, services, photos, and customer reviews.
For a small business, the profile is more than a marketing listing. Customers may use it to call your office, visit your website, request directions, read reviews, or decide whether they trust your company.
If an unauthorized person changes your phone number, website, hours, or ownership settings, customers may receive false information. A secure profile helps protect your reputation, customer communication, and online presence.
What is Google Business Profile security?
Google Business Profile security is the process of protecting profile ownership, user access, login credentials, recovery settings, and business information from unauthorized changes.
A secure profile starts with the Google Account used to manage it. That account should have a strong password, 2-Step Verification, accurate recovery information, and access from trusted devices.
Security also depends on who has owner or manager access. Employees, former employees, marketing agencies, vendors, and outside consultants should only receive the access they need.
Google recommends claiming every business location, limiting profile access, removing former employees, and carefully reviewing requests from people who want to become an owner or manager. Business owners can review Google’s official Business Profile protection guidance for additional steps.
What can happen if a Business Profile is compromised?
A compromised Business Profile can direct customers toward incorrect information or give an unauthorized person control over an important part of your online identity.
Possible warning signs and business risks include:
- Your phone number is changed without approval.
- Your website link points to an unfamiliar domain.
- Business hours, services, categories, or locations are inaccurate.
- Unknown owners or managers appear in the access list.
- Unauthorized posts, photos, or responses appear on the profile.
- Customers report calls, messages, or payment requests that your company did not send.
- Your business loses access to the profile or primary ownership changes.
These changes can damage trust quickly. For example, a false phone number could send potential customers to another company or a scammer pretending to represent your business.
How should a small business secure its Google Business Profile?
Small businesses should secure their profiles by claiming every location, controlling user roles, protecting the connected Google Accounts, and reviewing access on a regular schedule.
Claim every business location
Claiming your profile helps establish that your company controls the listing. Unclaimed locations may be more vulnerable to incorrect ownership claims or unauthorized changes.
Search for each company location on Google Search and Google Maps. Look for options such as Own this business? or Claim this business. Follow Google’s verification process when a legitimate company location has not been claimed.
Give each user individual access
Do not share one Google Account password between employees, agencies, and vendors. Each person should use an individual Google Account and receive the correct profile role.
| Access Role | Best Use | Security Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Owner | A trusted company-controlled account. | Has the highest level of control. Keep this role inside the business. |
| Owner | A trusted business leader or administrator. | Can add or remove users and make major profile changes. |
| Manager | Employees or agencies handling daily updates. | Can manage most content but cannot add or remove users. |
Google provides additional instructions for managing Business Profile owners and managers.
Turn on 2-Step Verification
2-Step Verification adds another security check after the password. This makes it harder for someone to access the account with a stolen or reused password.
Each owner and manager should:
- Use a unique password that is not shared with another website.
- Enable 2-Step Verification on the connected Google Account.
- Keep recovery email addresses and phone numbers current.
- Never share verification codes, one-time passwords, or recovery codes.
- Avoid signing in from unknown or unprotected devices.
Remove access during employee offboarding
Google Business Profile access should be part of every employee and vendor offboarding checklist. Remove access as soon as a person no longer needs it.
Waiting several weeks can leave a former employee, agency, or contractor with the ability to edit customer-facing information.
Keep control when working with an outside agency
A marketing or SEO agency may need profile access, but the business should remain in control of primary ownership. Give the agency a manager role unless it has a clear business need for broader access.
Keep the primary owner inside your company
The primary owner should normally be a company-controlled account that will remain available even when employees or vendors change. Do not allow a temporary provider to become the only person who controls your profile.
Which Google Business Profile scams target small companies?
Common scams include fake Google support calls, fraudulent ownership requests, urgent verification messages, and demands for payment to remove negative reviews.
Fake Google support calls and emails
Scammers may claim that your profile is about to expire, become suspended, lose verification, or disappear from search results. They may ask for payment, account credentials, or a verification code.
Google states that it does not charge businesses to maintain a Business Profile. Google also warns businesses not to share one-time passwords or personal identification numbers with callers or email senders.
Unexpected ownership requests
An ownership request may be legitimate when it comes from a known employee or approved vendor. However, an unexpected request should never be accepted without verification.
Contact the person through a trusted phone number or known email address. Do not rely only on the information contained in the request.
Negative review extortion
Review extortion may begin with a sudden increase in false one-star or two-star reviews. The attacker may then demand money, products, or services in exchange for removing them.
Do not pay or negotiate with the attacker. Save screenshots, record dates, preserve messages, collect links to the reviews, and use Google’s official review extortion reporting process.
What should you do if the profile may be compromised?
If your Business Profile may be compromised, secure the connected Google Account first, review profile access, preserve evidence, correct unauthorized changes, and report the incident through official Google support.
- Check the public profile. Review the phone number, website, hours, address, categories, photos, posts, and customer responses.
- Secure the Google Account. Change the password, review recent login activity, update recovery settings, and enable 2-Step Verification.
- Review people and access. Remove unknown users and cancel any suspicious pending invitations.
- Preserve evidence. Save screenshots of unauthorized edits, emails, ownership requests, messages, and account alerts.
- Correct false information. Restore the correct company phone number, website, hours, and other profile details.
- Use official support channels. Contact Google through the Business Profile Help Center instead of responding to an unexpected caller or email.
- Review the wider business environment. Check email accounts, employee devices, cloud access, and security alerts for signs that the incident extends beyond the profile.
When suspicious access may involve business email, devices, passwords, or cloud accounts, a broader security review may be needed. trueITpros provides small business IT security support to help Atlanta companies identify risks and improve account protection.
How does profile security connect to everyday business IT?
Google Business Profile security is an identity and access management issue, not only a marketing issue. The same password, email account, phone, and device may also provide access to company files, calendars, messages, and other cloud applications.
A practical business security plan should connect profile protection with:
- Google Workspace account administration.
- Multi-factor authentication policies.
- Employee onboarding and offboarding.
- Managed device and endpoint protection.
- Phishing awareness training.
- Password and account recovery standards.
- A documented incident response process.
This approach reduces the chance that one stolen login will affect several parts of the business.
How often should profile access be reviewed?
Profile details should be checked monthly, while owner and manager access should be reviewed at least every quarter and immediately after staffing or vendor changes.
Monthly profile review
- Confirm the business name, address, phone number, website, and hours.
- Review recent posts, photos, customer questions, and responses.
- Look for suspicious reviews or sudden review activity.
- Check for alerts about profile changes.
Quarterly access review
- Review every owner and manager.
- Remove access that is no longer required.
- Confirm that the primary owner is a company-controlled account.
- Verify that recovery methods and 2-Step Verification are current.
- Document which employee or provider is responsible for profile management.
FAQ about Google Business Profile security
Is Google Business Profile the same as Google My Business?
Yes. Google My Business was renamed Google Business Profile. Small businesses can manage their profiles through Google Search, Google Maps, and Google’s Business Profile tools.
Can someone change my profile without knowing my password?
Members of the public can suggest edits to business information, but owners and managers have broader control. A compromised owner account can allow someone to make direct changes, add users, or alter important profile details.
Should a marketing agency be an owner or manager?
Most marketing agencies only need manager access. The business should retain primary ownership and avoid giving full owner access unless it is required and the provider is fully trusted.
Does 2-Step Verification prevent profile hijacking?
2-Step Verification can significantly reduce the risk of account takeover, but it should be combined with strong passwords, phishing awareness, limited access, trusted devices, and regular account reviews.
What should I do when someone claiming to be Google calls?
Do not share passwords, verification codes, recovery codes, or payment information. End the call and verify the issue by signing in directly or using Google’s official Business Profile Help Center.
How often should former employees be removed?
Former employees and vendors should be removed as soon as their work ends. Access removal should be part of the company’s standard offboarding process rather than waiting for the next quarterly review.
Protect the profile your customers rely on
Your Google Business Profile may be one of the first places customers interact with your company. Protecting it helps preserve accurate information, customer trust, profile ownership, and access to important business tools.
trueITpros helps Atlanta small businesses strengthen account security, manage employee access, improve Google Workspace administration, protect devices, and respond when suspicious activity appears. Contact trueITpros to discuss your current security risks and support needs.
Related Content
- Credential Attacks: Protect Atlanta SMB Logins
- Secure Business Applications from Unauthorized Access
- Spear Phishing Attacks Every Atlanta SMB Should Know
To learn more about how trueITpros can help your company with Managed IT Services in Atlanta, contact us at www.trueitpros.com/contact
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