I’m sure all of you have received a pre-recorded call trying to sell you a product or service. One that I get several times a week comes from a friendly female voice claiming to be Sharon From Google. Now it seems odd to me that this same pre-recorded Sharon would call me from a variety of phone numbers.
The first thing you need to know is that while it might be possible the female voice on the recording is indeed someone named Sharon and that she indeed works for Google, the company calling you is not Google.
I won’t mention the name of the company behind these calls simply because I don’t want them to receive any benefit from their telemarketing campaign. The only part that is crystal clear is that it isn’t Google.
Sure, you can stay on the call and asked to be removed. Good luck, it hasn’t worked for me and from the messages on the Internet it seems that I’m not alone. You can also file a complaint with the National DoNotCall Registry though my numerous filed complaints have done nothing to stop my good friend Sharon from calling.
So why are they calling and what are they trying to sell you? The short answer is that they claim they can get you listed higher on Google Local or they can improve your Search Engine Optimization. Note that I gave you a long list of tips for free at Design A Web Site That Ranks Well in Search Engines via SEO. There are also plenty of free tutorials, such as 10 Things You Should Have Done to Make Your Google Business Listing Great for improving your Google Local ranking.
Paying a company to help you with SEO isn’t a bad idea. But do you really want to pay a company that repeatedly calls with pre-recorded Sharon From Google messages? Should you need help, do your research and hire a company that plays by the rules. Because if you choose a company that breaks the telephone rules, it is quite possible they’ll also get your Web site blacklisted by breaking the SEO rules. Consider choosing Web Design Solutions Unleashed to help with your Web site and SEO.
Update: We have been able to get these calls to stop and we have saved money at the same time. Read Upgrade Your Phone Service and Save Money With RingCentral to read about our new phone service that allows us to permanently block each of Sharon’s numbers.
Update: Below is a list of numbers Sharon From Google has used and we have effectively blocked with RingCentral.
- 360-322-6594
- 310-495-4316
- 702-520-5283
- 206-397-1859
- 540-218-1040
With each new call I get from “Sharon”, I’m going to post the number so that everyone knows the numbers to consider blocking. Today’s first call came from 360-322-6594. Note that the Caller ID name was just the number and that is typical for these calls.
Another “Sharon” number to consider blocking is 310-495-4316 from “Culver City, CA”.
Sharon called again from the same 310 number listed above.
Two calls from “Sharon” today, the new number to consider blocking is 702-520-5283 and it lists on Caller ID as “Las Vegas, NV”.
Today “Sharon” called from 206-397-1859 and the Caller ID simply read “2063971859” for the name of the company. Yet another number to consider blocking.
Once again that pest Sharon called from 206-397-1859.
The phone numbers are spoofs. Need to go to fcc.gov and complain. Every time. One group just got found and fined…oner 7 mil.
I personally do report as many of the bogus numbers as possible, even multiple times reporting the same number. In the case of the “Sharon” calls, they all came from a small pool of numbers. There are plenty of other incredibly annoying and possibly criminal telemarketers using different numbers. One thing that has worked REALLY well for our office was switching to RingCentral (http://graphics-unleashed.unleash.com/2013/11/upgrade-your-phone-service-and-save.html) as we can permanently block any number with a single click.
Receiving these calls up to 20 x a day at my work, a funeral home in Canada. I stayed online and asked to be taken off their list. Hoping for the best. Last number it came from was 540-218-1040.
Sharon will not stop calling unless you have the number blocked. Sure, she will offer to remove you from the list. Sadly, it doesn’t do anything. Thanks for sharing another spammy number to block.
You’re right! In fact I made it worse, apparently. Now three calls in the five minutes since I asked to be taken off!
If I knew the company making the calls I feel I can help stop it, so by not publicizing it, you are doing us no good and keeping the calls going.
Knowing the name of the company will not stop the calls and only gives the rogue company publicity. Just block the numbers listed above. I’ve not had a call from “Sharon” for at least six months now.
We do not have caller ID at work. We get 2 to 3 calls a day from the “Google Specialist”. We are on the National Do not call list. We also get calls from the robot that sounds human and speaks to you.
I don’t know how to make them stop!!!! FTC should do something!!!!
Anonymous, there are several items in your comment to answer. Let’s start with the “Do Not Call” list. Like it or not, the law only applies to residential numbers. So putting a business number on the list will never work. I hate the exception, but that’s the way the law was written. Second, your business doesn’t have Caller ID. Rarely is it not available, though phone companies can sometimes charge more for it. Whoever is making those decisions at your company may want to re-evaluate if having Caller ID is worthwhile. Lastly you should explore what types of blocking are available to you. We specifically mentioned that we used RingCentral and it allows us to easily block numbers such as those used by our good friend Sharon. It also provides Caller ID.