I'm in the SEO business, and I'm about to tell you about the worst parts of it.
A big chunk of my new clients come to me after getting burned. A chiropractor in Encinitas paid $900 a month for two years to a company that, as far as we could tell, did nothing. When she tried to leave, they wouldn't give her access to her own Google Business Profile. That's the moment that sticks with me. Not because it's rare, but because it's common.
Here are the nine scams and shady practices I see most, and how to protect yourself.
1. "We guarantee #1 on Google"
Nobody can guarantee rankings. Google's own guidance on hiring an SEO says no one can guarantee a #1 spot. Anyone who promises it is either lying or planning to rank you for a search nobody actually makes, like "best chiropractor on Elm Street with blue doors."
Ask: "Which exact searches will I rank for, and how many people search for them each month?"
2. The "Google partner" phone call
You get a call: "This is Google. Your listing is about to be removed unless you verify it with us today." It's not Google. Google doesn't call small businesses to threaten their listing, and managing your Google Business Profile is free.
Do: Hang up. Log in to your own profile at business.google.com and check it yourself.
3. They own your accounts
Your Google Business Profile, website, domain name, and analytics should be owned by you. Some companies set everything up under their own accounts, so when you leave, you lose it all. That's what happened to the chiropractor.
Ask: "Will I be the owner of every account, with you added as a manager?" The only acceptable answer is yes.
4. Long contracts with no exit
A 12- or 24-month contract with no way out isn't a sign of commitment. It's a sign they don't expect you to want to stay.
Ask: "What happens if I want to cancel after three months?"
5. Secret "proprietary" methods
If they can't explain what they're doing in plain English, that's a problem. Good SEO isn't magic. It's a lot of unglamorous work: fixing listings, building reviews, writing helpful pages, fixing technical problems.
Ask: "What exactly will you do in the first 90 days?"
6. Reports full of numbers that don't matter
"Impressions are up 400%!" Great. Is the phone ringing? Some companies send long reports full of vanity metrics to hide the fact that nothing is changing for your business.
Ask: "Will you show me calls, form fills, and direction requests, not just traffic?"
7. Buying links or fake reviews
Cheap services sometimes buy spammy links or fake reviews to get quick bumps. It can work briefly, then backfire badly, including penalties, removed reviews, or a suspended Google profile.
Ask: "How do you get links and reviews?" If the answer is vague or involves "our network," walk away.
8. Thousands of junk pages
Some companies pump out hundreds of near-identical pages, one for every town in the county, with your business name swapped in. It's lazy, it rarely works anymore, and it can hurt your site.
Ask: "Can I see examples of pages you've written for other clients?"
9. "AI SEO" that's just the old stuff with a new label
AI search is real, and it matters. In BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey, 45% of consumers used AI tools to find local businesses. But some companies are slapping "AI" on the same old packages and charging more. Real AI visibility work focuses on reviews, consistent listings, community mentions, and clear answers on your website.
Ask: "Show me what ChatGPT says about my business today, and what you'll change."
What a legitimate SEO provider actually does every month
You can't spot a scam if you don't know what honest work looks like. A real local SEO provider's month usually contains:
- Publishing or improving content — a new page, or a real improvement to an existing one
- Profile and review management — keeping the Google Business Profile active, making sure reviews get answered
- Technical upkeep — fixing problems, watching site speed and search visibility
- A report in plain language — what was done, what changed, what's next
- A short list of things they need from you — photos, answers, approvals
Notice what's not on the list: secret techniques, daily "submissions" to 500 directories, or a report that's just screenshots of tools. If the monthly work can't be described in a sentence, ask why. And if a provider's work never requires anything from you, they're not working on your business — they're working on a template with your logo on it.
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Stuck in a contract you regret
If you're already paying someone who promised things that haven't happened, you have more options than you think:
- Read the actual contract. Cancellation terms, notice periods, and auto-renewal clauses are usually in there. Many contracts that "can't be canceled" have a 30-day notice window you can use.
- Find out who owns what. Whose name is the website domain in? Whose account is the Google Business Profile? Whose Google Analytics? Get the logins for anything in your name, today. If everything is in the provider's accounts, that's a problem to solve carefully, in writing.
- Get your data before you leave. Analytics history, report history, any content they created for you. Request it in writing while the relationship is still cordial.
- Put it in writing. A short email: "Per the contract, I'm giving notice as of [date]. Please confirm and transfer access to [list]." Paper trails protect you.
- Don't sign the "new improved plan" they offer when you try to cancel. That's retention, not a solution.
And if you believe you were genuinely defrauded — paid for guaranteed rankings that were faked, for example — your state attorney general's office and the FTC both take consumer complaints online. Most people never file. The ones who do sometimes get results.
The 10 questions to ask any SEO before you hire them
Ask before you hire
- Which specific searches will you target, and how many people make them?
- Will I own every account?
- What will you do in the first 90 days?
- How will you report results? What counts as success?
- How do you get links and reviews?
- Can I see work you've done for businesses like mine?
- Can I talk to two current clients?
- What's the contract length, and how do I cancel?
- What can I do myself to save money?
- When should I expect to see results? (Be wary of anything faster than a few months for real growth.)
Question 9 is my favorite. A good SEO will happily tell you what you can do yourself. A scammer will tell you it's too complicated.
FAQ
How do I know if my SEO company is legit?
They explain what they're doing in plain language, report on real business results, let you own your accounts, and don't guarantee rankings.
Does Google call businesses about their listing?
Google doesn't call to threaten removal or demand payment to keep your listing. If you get a call like that, hang up and check your profile yourself.
I think I got scammed. What should I do?
First, make sure you have owner access to your Google Business Profile, website, domain, and analytics. Then get a second opinion on what was actually done.
Is it a scam if they ask for a 6-month contract?
Not automatically — building SEO takes months, and providers don't want to work for one month and lose you. But a first contract should be short enough to prove themselves: 3 months with a clear exit, or month-to-month after a 90-day initial term. A provider who won't let you leave on 30 days' notice after the first quarter is telling you something about how they keep clients.
Are cheap Fiverr or Upwork SEO gigs a scam?
Not always a scam, but usually low-value. The $50 gigs are almost always automated — directory submissions, keyword reports, "optimization" of things that don't matter. Occasionally you'll find a real freelancer at a low rate, but you have no way to judge their work, and they have no skin in your results. For local businesses, that money is better spent on the free checklist or on reviews.
What does a real monthly report look like?
One page, plain language: what was done this month, what changed in rankings and profile activity, what's coming next, and anything that needs your input. Numbers can be attached, but the summary should be readable by you, not by a data analyst. If a report makes you feel dumb, that's the report's fault, not yours.
How do I fire my SEO company?
Give notice in writing per your contract, request a full access transfer (domain, website, Google Business Profile, Analytics, any ad accounts) with a deadline, and confirm everything works before the final payment. Then export your data and change every password they might have had. Do it politely and completely — a clean handoff is worth more than winning the argument.
What if I already paid a scammer — can I get my money back?
Sometimes, but act fast. If you paid by credit card, dispute the charge with your card issuer (chargebacks usually have a 60–120 day window). Gather everything: the contract, the promises made (especially in writing or email), and evidence the work wasn't done. Then file complaints with the FTC and your state attorney general. You may not recover the money, but the paper trail protects you and the next business they call.
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