Facts checked October 25, 2026, against the sources listed at the end.

If your Google Business Profile changed and you didn't make the change, first find out who did. Info shown in blue in the profile editor was changed by Google, using sources like user reports, not by someone in your account. If a person made the change, remove anyone you don't know from the profile, then secure your Google account.

Check this first: sign in and open the editor for your Business Profile. Look for a notification at the top of the page, and for any info shown in blue. Google says blue text "shows info changed by Google" (Understand Google updates on your Business Profile). Then open the list of people who can manage the profile, which is the next section.

Was my profile hacked, or did Google change it?

Rule out Google first, because Google can change your profile without you. Google says it gathers info from sources "like user reports and licensed content." If those sources say your info is wrong or out of date, "Google may update your profile" (Understand Google updates on your Business Profile).

Here is how Google says those changes show up:

  • In the profile editor, info changed by Google shows in blue. Info with no Google updates shows in black or white.
  • At the top of the page, you'll find a notification if Google updated your profile.
  • When a public suggestion needs your review, Google may send an email or a notice in the product. Google says you then "have 4 days to accept or reject the suggestion." If you don't respond, Google may publish it when other public info supports it, such as your website.

Google also says it may apply some suggested edits without asking you first, when that is needed to meet its policies. And it notes that you "can't manage all Google updates" through your profile.

So a changed phone number or new hours can come from Google or the public. Fix the wrong info by editing your profile directly. If nothing is in blue and the change looks deliberate, keep going.

How do I see who has access to my Google Business Profile?

Google's path is (Manage your Business Profile owners & managers):

  1. Go to your Business Profile.
  2. Select More, then Business Profile settings, then People and access.

That page lists every current user and every pending invite. Read each name and email. A past employee, a relative or an old marketing company may still be there.

Know the two roles. An owner has full control, including adding and removing people and deleting the profile. A manager has mostly the same access, but can't add or remove people or remove the profile.

How do I remove someone I don't know from my profile?

From People and access, select the person, then Remove person. To cancel a pending invite, find the person under "PENDING" and select Cancel invitation (Manage your Business Profile owners & managers).

Three things Google says that matter here:

  • Only owners can remove people. If you can't select the user, you may only have manager access. The owner will have to do it.
  • Removed people get an email. They can no longer change info, but their past review replies, posts and comments stay on the profile.
  • New owners and managers wait 7 days before they can remove other owners or managers, transfer primary ownership, or delete the profile.

That rule matters in two ways. A stranger added in the last week can't yet remove you. But if you were only just added yourself, you can't remove them yet either.

How do I check what was changed on my profile?

We found no Google Help page that describes a full edit history owners can open. So check your profile field by field: name, category, address, phone, website, hours, photos and posts. Compare each one against what you know is right.

Google's edit page explains the status of edits made from your profile. Each one shows as Accepted, Not approved or Pending. Google says review usually takes up to 10 minutes, and sometimes up to 30 days (Understand what happens to your Business Profile edits). Put your correct info back, and expect a short wait before it shows.

Changes to core details can also trigger a new verification. If Google asks for more info, it says that is "likely because some of your business details were recently updated" (Verify your business on Google).

How do I secure the Google account behind my profile?

The profile is only as safe as the Google account that owns it. Google's steps for a hacked account are (Secure a hacked or compromised Google Account):

  1. If you can't sign in, use Google's account recovery page. Google says to use it if someone changed your password or recovery phone number.
  2. Review recent activity. In your Google Account, open Security & sign-in. On the "Recent security events" panel, select Review security events. If something wasn't you, select No, it wasn't me and follow the steps.
  3. Check your devices. In your Google Account, open Your devices, then Manage devices. Look for any you don't recognize.
  4. Change your password, and change it on other sites where you used the same one.
  5. Check your recovery phone and email. Google says to correct them at once if they changed without you.
  6. Turn on 2-Step Verification. You sign in with your password plus something you have, like your phone. Google says that way, "if your password is stolen, your account is still secure."
  7. Check Gmail. Remove any filters or forwarding rules you didn't set up.

Google's Security Checkup also gives you personal recommendations for your account.

What if I can't get back into my Business Profile?

If someone else now owns the profile, Google has a process to request ownership (Request ownership of a Business Profile):

  1. Go to business.google.com/add.
  2. Enter your business name and address, and choose your business from the list.
  3. When you see "Someone else may manage this Business Profile," select Request Access.
  4. Fill out the form and select Submit.

The current owner gets an email and has 3 days to respond. If they deny it, you'll get an email, and Google says you can try to appeal. If they don't respond in 3 days, you may get the option to claim the profile. Google says that option "isn't always available."

That path is for storefront and hybrid businesses. For a service-area business with no shop or office, Google says to contact support. In the "Tell us what we can help with" field, enter "Transfer ownership of listing."

Google promises no outcome or timeline beyond those 3 days. Don't create a new profile while you wait. Google allows one profile per business, and treats extra ones as duplicates (Resolve duplicate profiles & ownership issues). If a second profile already exists, see our duplicate listing article.

Could a call claiming to be Google have caused this?

Google warns about calls, emails and texts from people offering to help with your profile for money. That includes people claiming to be Google. Google says it "will never ask for One Time Password (OTP) or Personal Identification Number (PIN)." It also says it doesn't charge to verify or reinstate a profile (Help protect your Google Business Profile).

Google also says to watch for emails asking you to make someone an owner or manager. Don't approve them unless you know the person.

What if a marketing company made the changes?

Google's rules for outside companies are strict. Changing or turning off profile features without the business owner's consent is prohibited. The business must keep ownership or co-ownership of its profile at all times (Business Profile third-party policies). If a company broke those rules, Google lets you report a violation of its third-party policy from that page.

If you are ending a vendor relationship, our article on marketing companies that promised results lists the accounts to take back.

How do I stop this from happening again?

Google's own advice (Help protect your Google Business Profile):

  • Give access only to the people who truly need it. Add owners "with extra care," since owners can edit and transfer the business.
  • Remove ex-employees once they leave.
  • Use an email alias for the manager of your profile.
  • If an outside company helps you, make sure you still have access as an owner.
  • Claim every location. Google says unclaimed locations are "more vulnerable and prone to hijacks."

Where does Alloro fit in?

This is Alloro's own work. Alloro manages the Google Business Profile for local businesses. Every change Alloro drafts waits for the owner's okay. It costs $499 a month per location, with no contract.

Sources

How this article was made: AI helped draft it. A person checked every fact against the sources listed above and approved it before it was published.