My business calls suddenly stopped. What do I check first?

1. 1. Call your own number from another phone

   Does it ring? Does it go to the right voicemail? Is the voicemail full? A forwarding setting or a phone-company change can stop calls without anyone noticing.

2. 2. Look yourself up like a customer would

   On your phone, in a private window, search your business name and your trade + town (for example "electrician Skokie").

   • Is your business there?
   • Is the phone number on the listing yours?
   • Does it say "Temporarily closed" or "Permanently closed" by mistake?
   • Is the address right?

   If the phone number isn't yours, stop here and go to step 4.

3. 3. Log in to your Google Business Profile

   Look for a message saying the profile is suspended, restricted or not verified. Google can suspend a profile it thinks breaks its rules, even by mistake. If yours is suspended, Google has an appeal process inside the Business Profile. Collect proof before you start: business license, a utility bill or lease at your address, photos of your sign and vehicles.

4. 4. Check if someone changed your listing

   Anyone can suggest edits to a business listing. Look for changes you didn't make: phone number, website, hours, category, name. In some trades, especially urgent ones like locksmiths and towing, fake "lead services" have hijacked real listings and routed calls through their own numbers. In 2025, Google sued a network behind more than 10,000 fake or hijacked listings.

5. 5. Look for businesses pretending to be you

   Search your exact business name. Is there a second listing or website using your name, your photos or your reviews, with a different phone number?

6. 6. Check your reviews

   • Did a wave of 1-star reviews arrive all at once? That can be an attack.
   • Did someone then ask you for money to remove them? Don't pay. Google has a form for reporting review extortion. Only someone who manages the profile can file it. Screenshot everything first.
   • Did many of your older reviews disappear? Google removes reviews it thinks are fake or bought, sometimes real ones too.

7. 7. Ask the AI assistants

   Customers now ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. In a new chat, ask: "What is the phone number for [your business] in [your town]?" If the number is wrong, write down the website it says it got it from. That site is what needs fixing.

   Full 5-minute check →

If something here is broken and you want help fixing it, you can reach Remus at (224) 369-4969 or remus@sylvaniaconsulting.org. If you'd rather fix it yourself, the steps above are yours to keep.