You drive across town because the map says the bakery opens at 7, and you're met by a dark window and a sign that says 8. Or you call a number from a search result and reach someone who clearly isn't the business you wanted. Wrong information online wastes your time, and it can cost a small business customers it never knew it lost. The good news is that it's easy to report wrong business information, and a two-minute note often fixes it for everyone who comes after you.
Here's what to report, where to report it and how to make sure your report actually helps.
Why it's worth two minutes to report wrong business information
Business details end up in a lot of places: map apps, search results, review sites, directories and social pages. When a shop changes its hours, moves or closes, those places don't all update at once. Old details can linger for months.
With Memorial Day coming up and summer hours starting soon, this is the season when hours change the most. One quick report can save dozens of neighbors from the same wasted trip, and it helps the business too. Most owners are glad to hear about a problem before it turns into a bad review.
The most common kinds of wrong info
- Wrong hours, especially around holidays and seasonal changes. Restaurants and cafes adjust their hours often, so double-check before a special trip.
- A closed business still showing as open, or an open one marked "permanently closed."
- A wrong phone number, sometimes an old line that's been reassigned to someone else.
- A wrong address or map pin, sending people to the back of a building or the wrong street.
- A website link that's broken or goes to the wrong site.
- Duplicate listings for the same business, often with different details.
- Wrong category, like a dentist showing up under hair salons.
- Fake or scam listings that use a real-sounding name to collect calls.
Step 1: Tell the business first, if you can
For most mistakes, the fastest fix is a quick message to the business itself. Owners can update their own listings far faster than anyone else, and on many sites, only they can change certain details.
Keep it short and friendly:
A message through their website, a social page or a quick mention at the counter all work. If you're not sure how to reach them, look for a contact link on their own website. Businesses that make it easy to reach them, as we covered in make it easy for customers to contact you, tend to fix these things fast.
This applies to directories, too. On Listings Junkie, owners can update their own listings, so a quick note to the business is usually the quickest way to get a detail corrected there.
Step 2: Suggest an edit on map apps and review sites
If you can't reach the business, or the problem is on a site the owner may not watch, report it on the site itself. Most map apps, search engines and review sites have an option labeled something like "Suggest an edit," "Report a problem" or "Edit business info" on the business's page.
When you use it:
- Pick the specific detail that's wrong: hours, phone, address, website, category.
- Give the correct information if you know it.
- Add a short note explaining how you know, such as "Posted hours on the door say 8 a.m." or "Called and the business confirmed it moved."
- Add a photo if the site allows it. A picture of posted hours or a closed storefront helps reviewers confirm your edit.
Suggested edits usually go through a review before they appear. Some changes show up within a day or two; others take longer or aren't accepted. If an obvious error doesn't change after a week or two, it's fine to suggest it again.
Step 3: Report permanently closed and duplicate listings
When a business has truly closed, most map apps let you mark it as "permanently closed" or "doesn't exist." Only do this when you're sure. A business that's closed for renovations, on vacation or moving across the street isn't permanently closed, and a wrong report can hurt an owner who's still open.
For duplicates, look for an option to report the listing as a duplicate of another one. Point to the correct listing if the site asks.
Step 4: Report fake and scam listings
Some listings aren't mistakes at all. Scam listings often pose as locksmiths, towing companies, garage door repair or appliance repair, using a made-up local-sounding name and a phone number that routes to a call center. Warning signs:
- No real street address, or an address that turns out to be an empty lot or a mailbox store.
- A generic name like "Locksmith Near Me" with no other details.
- A phone answered with a vague greeting instead of a business name.
- A price on the phone that jumps once someone arrives.
Report these on the site using the spam or fake listing option. If you lost money to a scam, you can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
To avoid them in the first place, look for locksmiths and similar services with a real, local presence. Sherlock's Locksmith in Pittsburgh, for example, describes itself on Listings Junkie as a family-owned, fully insured mobile locksmith company. Clear details like that are a good sign. You can browse other locksmiths by state, and our guide to finding trustworthy local businesses while traveling covers more red flags for lockouts and roadside help.
What makes a report more likely to stick
- Be specific. "Hours are wrong" is harder to act on than "Closes at 6 on Sundays, not 9."
- Be sure. Check the business's own website or call before reporting a change.
- Stay polite. Reports are reviewed by real people at many sites.
- Don't use it as a weapon. Reporting false problems to hurt a business you're unhappy with isn't fair. If you had a bad experience, an honest review is the right place for that.
Why this helps small businesses, too
It might feel like you're pointing out someone's mistake, but small business owners are busy, and many are listed on more sites than they can keep track of. An old phone number or wrong pin can quietly cost them customers for months. Owners who stay on top of this, as covered in keep your business listing up to date, still miss things now and then.
Flagging a problem is one of the simple, free ways to help the businesses you care about. We list more in ways to support local businesses that don't cost a dime.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone suggest an edit to a business listing?
On most major map apps and review sites, yes. Edits are usually reviewed before they go live, and owners can often approve, change or undo them.
How long does it take for a suggested edit to show up?
It varies. Some edits appear within a day or two, while others take a week or more or aren't accepted.
What if the wrong information is on the business's own website?
Contact the business directly. Only the owner can fix their own website.
Should I report a business that seems closed?
Only if you're sure it has permanently closed. A dark window on a Tuesday might just mean it's closed that day. Check its website, social pages or call first, and look for any signs of reopening.
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