[thelist] Bogus web marketing company - can they have your website deleted from search engines?

[Nan Harbison]

Hi all, 

 

I got this email from my sister, who is an acupuncturist in the Philadelphia
area:

 

 I got a call from some bozo who said that since I was not verified by
google that they were going to remove my listing under search engine for
google for an acupuncturist within 15 mile of my address - so I called back
and found that the company says they are working for google -which I later
found out they are not but they still may have the ability to screw around
with my listing unless I pay them  money-  my only concern is that I need
people to be able to find me on a google search and they say they will
remove my listing completely - it will not show up under any conditions - I
feel it is a scam -what do you think? I figured you knew because you  do
search engine optimization for a living. I would appreciate any insights
that you may know.

 

Her website is http://www.riveroflifecenter.com/. I do follow SEO stuff, not
for a living however, and I am not sure whether this bozo/company can
actually ruin her ranking on Google. I did tell her to report them to the
Better Business Bureau.

 

Thanks for any insight you all might have on this topic!

Nan