Duplicate Listing Checks

We begin with a master record of your correct details and a history of all details you have used: former names, old addresses, previous numbers, earlier websites and any rebranding. Duplicates usually carry one of these old details. Then we search systematically. We query each major map and directory using your current and former names, phone numbers, addresses, website addresses and email domains, and we search by street and by owner name. We examine the first pages of results and the map view, since duplicates often sit a few metres from the real pin. We also search your category plus area, which sometimes surfaces unclaimed entries. For multi-location businesses, we compare every branch against the others, so that real branches are not confused with duplicates. We record each candidate with its link, name, address, phone, category, review count, photos, claim status and last activity. Next we classify each candidate. A true duplicate is the same business at the same place. An outdated listing is the same business at a former address. A closed or moved listing should be marked as such, not merged. A different business with a similar name is left alone. A spam or fake listing breaks platform rules and can be reported. We decide the action for each. For a duplicate that we or you can claim, we claim it and then merge or remove it, using the platform’s tools; where reviews are involved, we check how the platform handles them, because some merge reviews and others do not. For entries we cannot claim, we suggest an edit or report it with evidence such as a business licence, a photo of the signboard or a utility bill, taking care not to share more personal data than needed. For old locations, we mark the entry as moved or closed, with the new address. For directories, we use their removal or correction forms. We time the work carefully; see business contact information updates, since removing the wrong entry before the correct one is live can leave a gap. We log every request with the date and reference, and recheck at intervals of two, four and eight weeks. Some entries return because aggregators repopulate them, and we trace such sources and correct them; see local citation management. We also set up simple monitoring, using alerts for your business name and phone number, and periodic quarterly checks; see listing audits. We tell you how to avoid creating new duplicates, for example by claiming rather than adding a place, using one master name format and informing us before moving or rebranding; see Google Business Profile setup and optimization. We cannot guarantee that every duplicate will be removed or that reviews will transfer, but resolving the ones platforms accept reduces confusion for customers and consolidates the signals that help you appear.