> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://piotrkrzyzek.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Anatomy of an AI Scam: How I'm Fighting the Google Listing Voicemails (And How You Can, Too) - URL: https://piotrkrzyzek.com/anatomy-of-an-ai-scam-how-im-fighting-the-google-listing-voicemails-and-how-you-can-too/ - Published: 2025-06-20T00:03:48.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-14T14:47:12.000Z - Description: Tired of AI voicemails about your Google Listing? Learn how I identify this scam and use my step-by-step guide to block these calls on Twilio, VoIP, and mobile. - Author: Peter Krzyzek - Tags: Technology I've been in the tech world for a long time, and I've seen my fair share of scams. From phishing emails to elaborate social engineering schemes, you start to recognize the patterns. But lately, something has changed. A new wave of scams, supercharged by Artificial Intelligence, is hitting businesses with a level of sophistication and annoyance that's frankly infuriating. One scam, in particular, has been flooding my own business lines and those of my clients: a ringless voicemail, delivered by a creepily realistic AI voice, warning that our Google Business Profiles are unverified and at risk. Your phone doesn't ring. There's no chance to ignore the call. You just see a voicemail notification and, as a diligent business owner, you check it. That's when they have you. This isn't just a nuisance; it's a direct attack on your time, your peace of mind, and potentially your wallet. In this article, I'm going to break down exactly how this scam works based on my analysis, how I've learned to identify it instantly, and most importantly, the exact methods I use to fight back, whether it's on my own complex VoIP system like Twilio, a client's third-party service, or just my personal mobile phone. TL;DR The quick version, for busy readers scammer numbers listed 12 red flags to check 6 phone setups covered 3 If you don't have time for the full deep-dive, here's everything you need to know to protect yourself right now. The scam in 60 seconds Scammers are using AI and "ringless voicemail" technology to drop a pre-recorded message directly into your voicemail box without your phone ever ringing. The message falsely claims your Google Business Profile is unverified or incorrect and urges you to act immediately to fix it. What they want They want to scare you into calling a number and paying a fee for a worthless or non-existent service to "fix" a problem that doesn't exist. Your Google Business Profile is a free tool. Known scammer numbers Here is my running list of numbers identified in this campaign: the [full blacklist](#blacklist), with the date each number was added. What I recommend you do immediately **Do NOT call back** or press any keys. **DELETE** the voicemail. **BLOCK** the number on your device. **NEVER** pay anyone who contacts you unsolicitedly about your Google listing. Check your profile To check the real status of your profile, do what I do: **manually log in** to the [Google Business Profile Manager](https://www.google.com/business/?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com). 1. [02How the ringless voicemail scam works](#how-it-works) 2. [04Is this call a scam? The red flags](#red-flags) 3. [06The scammer phone number blacklist](#blacklist) 4. [07Block the calls on Twilio, VoIP or mobile](#block-playbook) 5. [14Report it to the FTC and FCC](#report) Got one of these voicemails right now? [Check it against the red flags](#scam-check). 01Why now ## AI-powered scams: how AI writes, voices and delivers these voicemails The core problem with this new wave of attacks is the technology behind them. AI isn't just a buzzword; it's a powerful tool that has made it cheaper and easier than ever for bad actors to run scams at a massive scale. From what I've seen, they use AI to: Write the scripts Crafting language that creates a high sense of urgency and fear. Generate the voice Using AI voice synthesizers that are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from a real person. Automate the delivery Ringless voicemail technology allows them to bypass the traditional call-blocking apps I use and deliver their message with near-perfect efficiency. This isn't about a person in a call center dialing numbers. This is a machine attacking my business's communication lines, and yours. It's impersonal, relentless, and designed to prey on the anxieties of every business owner who relies on their online presence. 02How it works ## Ringless voicemail: how the Google listing scam skips your ringer After getting hit with these myself, I did a deep dive. Let's dissect this scam piece by piece based on what I've learned. Ringless voicemail isn't new, but it has been weaponized by scammers. Instead of connecting through the traditional mobile network (the "switch"), which would make your phone ring, the technology allows a server to connect directly to your mobile carrier's voicemail server and deposit an audio file. You get a notification that you have a new voicemail, completely bypassing the chance for you to screen or ignore an unknown number. It's an insidious exploitation of a system designed for our convenience. 03The scripts ## The Google listing voicemail scripts, word for word The scripts are designed to be short, alarming, and just vague enough to apply to any business. I've personally received these two common versions, and I've heard the same from my clients: SCRIPT A *"... To speak with an agent immediately and verify your Google listings again, your business is not showing correctly on Google and Google voice search. Press 0 to speak to an agent. Press 9 to opt out, or call 877-556-9255\. Thank you."* SCRIPT B *"Your business is not verified. Press one now so we can verify your business with Google. If you're the business owner, press one now. If your account is not verified, customers searching for your services on Google will not find your listing. Press one now to verify your listing. Press two to be removed from this list."* The psychology The psychology is simple: create a problem ("your business is invisible!") and offer an immediate, easy solution ("just press one!"). 04Red flags ## Is this call a scam? The red flags that give it away This is where you move from being a target to being a defender. The good news is that once you know what to look for, these scams become obvious. Here are the concrete tells that immediately tip me off. The medium is the message The biggest red flag for me is the **ringless voicemail** itself. In all my years of experience, I know that Google's primary methods for official communication are email to the account holder or notifications *inside* the Google Business Profile dashboard. They do not use unsolicited, intrusive methods like this for critical account warnings. Google's actual process I manage several Google Business Profiles. The verification process is formal and is always **initiated by me**. This has been a postcard mailed to a physical address, a phone call/text that I requested, or a video verification. **Crucially, Google has officially stated they do not make unsolicited automated calls threatening to remove your profile or demanding payment for your free listing.** I trust their official process, not a random voicemail. **Linguistic "tells" of the AI:** When I listen to the message, a few things stand out: Vague salutations The message never uses my name or my business's name. It's always a generic "business owner" or "your listing." False urgency The script always contains a threat (your business won't be found) and an urgent command (Press 1 **NOW**). The FTC warns that this creation of artificial pressure is a hallmark of nearly every scam. The opt-out trap Offering an opt-out (Press 9 or 2) is a classic robocall trick. It's not a courtesy; it's a tactic to confirm my number is active. I never press it, as it just tells them they've found a live one. The money lie This is the most important rule I operate by. **My Google Business Profile is a free tool.** Any unsolicited call that demands payment to "verify," "fix," "optimize," or "guarantee placement" for my basic listing is, without exception, a scam. 05Scam check ## Scam check: test a voicemail against the red flags Got one of these voicemails? Tick each red flag it shows. The two marked Biggest tell are the ones I rely on most. 6 red flags, 2 marked Biggest tell. 000 of 6 red flags ticked. Biggest tells: 0 of 2 Copy as textCopied Clear ticks Ticks are saved in this browser only. ### How it reached you - Biggest tell It arrived as a ringless voicemail, not an email or a notification inside the Google Business Profile dashboard - You didn't start a verification yourself (postcard, a phone call or text you requested, or a video verification) ### What it says - It never uses your name or your business's name, just "business owner" or "your listing" - It makes a threat (your business won't be found) and an urgent command (Press 1 NOW) - It offers an opt-out (Press 9 or 2) ### What it wants - Biggest tell It asks for payment to "verify," "fix," "optimize," or "guarantee placement" for your free listing Whatever the count, the advice from the quick version holds: don't call back, don't press any keys, and [block the number](#block-playbook). 06Blacklist ## Google listing scam phone numbers: the public blacklist Knowledge is power, and I believe in sharing it. Here are the numbers I've personally blocked and have been reported by clients and colleagues. I recommend you block these immediately across all your systems. BLACKLIST: 12 NUMBERS +12767221530 +14782662058 +12125551234(*Note: This is a classic "placeholder" number, but it was reported as being used.*) +13367293433(Note: started receiving from this one only after I blocked the earlier 3) +17025556789(Note: I think this one was part of the demo code in Twillio, I left it in there 'just because') +15058050139Added June 20th, 2025 +15012874459Added July 31st, 2025 +15186464310Added July 31st, 2025 +13863810191Added July 31st, 2025 +13604175402Added July 31st, 2025 +13863062662Added August 13th, 2025 (+1) 877-556-9255Added August 13th, 2025This is the number they ask you to call. Become part of the solution This is where I need your help. If you have received this scam from a number not on this list, please **leave a comment below with the number**. I will verify it and add it to this public blacklist to help protect our entire community of business owners. 07Playbook ## How to block the scam calls: verify first, then pick your setup My first rule My first rule is always **Verify, Don't Trust.** Before I do anything else, I log in to my official Google Business Profile dashboard to check for any real notifications. 99.9% of the time, I find nothing is wrong. Now, let's get to my blocking strategy. - **[Situation 1: You use a programmable voice service (like Twilio)](#twilio)** - **[Situation 2: You use a third-party SaaS VoIP system](#voip)** - **[Situation 3: You use a standard mobile phone (iOS/Android)](#mobile)** 08Situation 1: Twilio ## Block scam calls on Twilio with a call-blocker Function For a programmable voice service like Twilio, the blocking lives in a small Function: 1\. Create a Service In your Twilio Console, go to **Functions and Assets > Services** and create a new Service. Let's call it `call-blocker`. 2\. Set up environment variables Inside your new service, go to **Settings > Environment Variables**. We need to add two: `BLOCKLIST`: A comma-separated list of the phone numbers to block (e.g., `+12767221530,+14782662058`). `MY_PHONE_NUMBER`: Your real phone number where you want to receive legitimate calls (e.g., `+12223334444`). 3\. Create the Function Go to **Functions and Assets > Functions** inside your service and add a new Function. Let's name the path `/blocker`. 4\. Add the code Replace the default code with this Node.js script. This code checks if the caller is on the blocklist. If so, it rejects the call. If not, it forwards the call to your real number. ``` exports.handler = function(context, event, callback) { // List all blocked phone numbers in quotes and E.164 formatting, separated by a comma let numberBlock = event.block || [ "+12767221530", "+14782662058", "+12125551234", "+13367293433", "+17025556789" ]; // Setup some variable so we can do logic let twiml = new Twilio.twiml.VoiceResponse(); let blocked = true; // Check if the number coming is is within the block lis if (numberBlock.length > 0) { if (numberBlock.indexOf(event.From) === -1) { blocked = false; } } // Thus if blocked, reject it if (blocked) { twiml.reject(); } else { // Redirect to your existing TwiML bin if not blocked twiml.redirect("https://handler.twilio.com/twiml/EH889f06bdf3b0de05ad5db688118204c2"); // OR USE THE FOLLOWING, NOT BOTH // Get my real phone number from the environment variables. // To simply redirect to your number, uncomment the two lines below // const myPhoneNumber = context.MY_PHONE_NUMBER; // twiml.dial(myPhoneNumber); } return callback(null, twiml); }; ``` 5\. Deploy Click "Deploy All" to save and activate your function. 6\. Configure your Twilio number Navigate to **Phone Numbers > Active Numbers** and click on the number you want to protect. Under the **Voice & Fax** section, configure "A CALL COMES IN" to use your new `call-blocker` Service, `UI Editor` environment, and `/blocker` function path. Save the configuration. Now your Twilio number is protected. When you identify a new scam number, you just have to add it to your `BLOCKLIST` environment variable and redeploy. 09Situation 2: SaaS VoIP ## Block scam calls on RingCentral, Dialpad, Ooma and other SaaS VoIP For my clients using systems like RingCentral, Dialpad, or Ooma, the process is more straightforward. Here's what we do: - 1We log in to the VoIP system's admin dashboard. - 2We go straight to the "Call Logs," "Call History," or "Recent Calls" section. - 3We find the scammer's number in the log. - 4There's always an option next to the call record to "Block Number" or "Add to Blacklist." We click it, and we're done. 10Situation 3: Mobile ## Block scam calls on iPhone and Android For my own cell phone, it's a simple, reflexive action now. ### On my iPhone I open the Phone app, go to Voicemail. I tap the (i) info icon next to the scam number, scroll down, and tap Block this Caller. It takes five seconds. ### On Android The process is similar. Open the Phone app, go to call history, tap the number, and look for an option to Block or Report as Spam. 11Automation ## Spam call blocking apps and carrier tools: the tech toolbox Manual blocking is my first action, but proactive, automated tools are my long-term strategy. Here are the tools I've found to be most effective. For my mobile phone I've tested several apps, and my current recommendations are **RoboKiller** and **Nomorobo**. They use huge, constantly updated blocklists and clever call screening to stop these calls before they ever bother me. Carrier-level tools I also make sure to have the free tools from my mobile provider enabled. **AT&T ActiveArmor**, **T-Mobile Scam Shield**, and **Verizon Call Filter** are surprisingly effective and serve as a great first line of defense. For business VoIP When setting up a client's VoIP, I always check the provider's marketplace for integrations. Many systems can integrate with services like **Nomorobo** or **Marchex Clean Call**, and I've found these add a powerful, enterprise-grade layer of filtering. 12Limits ## Spam blocking limits: the unfiltered truth on what to watch for As we build our defenses, I think it's crucial to be realistic. Here are some hard truths I've learned from experience. There is no silver bullet No filter is 100% perfect. I still get the occasional one that slips through. Scammers are constantly cycling numbers ("spoofing"). Our best defense is a combination of good tools and personal vigilance. The human element The ultimate target isn't the technology; it's you or your employees. I've trained my team (and I advise all my clients) to never act on an unsolicited, urgent request over the phone without independent verification. Platform-specific quirks I've learned not to be confused by certain limitations. For example, on my **iPhone**, even if RoboKiller successfully blocks a call, iOS security policies may still cause it to appear in my "Recents" call log. This is expected behavior and doesn't mean the app failed. The risk of false positives I've also seen aggressive spam filters block legitimate calls. About once a month, I take 60 seconds to review the blocked calls log in my app to make sure a new client or important contact wasn't accidentally caught in the net. 13Business impact ## What scam calls cost your business: why every second counts As a business owner, I don't see these calls as a simple annoyance. I see them as a direct hit to my bottom line. Lost productivity Every minute I or an employee spends dealing with a scam voicemail is a minute we aren't being productive. Opportunity cost While a line is occupied or our focus is diverted, a real customer might be trying to reach us. Risk of reputation damage The biggest risk I see is the potential for catastrophic damage to a business's reputation if an employee is tricked into giving away information. For me, fighting spam isn't just for peace of mind; it's a necessary business security function. 14Report ## Report the scammers to the FTC and FCC: where to go and what to say I make it my policy to not just block and delete, but to report. Every report is a piece of data that helps the authorities and carriers build better tools. - **File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):** [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) - **File a report with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC):** [fcc.gov/complaints](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) When I file, I keep it concise. I state the facts: WHAT I WRITE *"Received an unsolicited, fraudulent ringless voicemail on \[Date\] from \[+1-XXX-XXX-XXXX\]. The automated message was a scam about my Google Business Listing."* 15Conclusion ## Staying ahead in the AI arms race: my four-rule strategy This AI-powered scam is a perfect example of the new reality we face. The tools available to bad actors are more powerful than ever. But our tools for defense, and our ability to share information as a community, are powerful, too. My personal strategy is simple: - 1**Be Skeptical:** I question every unsolicited call, especially those that create pressure. - 2**Verify Independently:** I never trust, I always verify through official channels I control. - 3**Block Aggressively:** I use the tools at my disposal to build a strong defense. - 4**Report Everything:** I make sure to be an active participant in the solution. By working together, sharing information, and staying vigilant, we can make these scams unprofitable for the criminals who run them. Stay safe out there. 16Resources ## Official resources from Google, the FTC and the FCC - [**Google's Official Statement on Protecting Against Fraudulent Calls**](https://support.google.com/business/answer/6212928?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) - [**FTC Advice on How to Handle Unwanted Calls**](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-to-block-unwanted-calls?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) - [**FCC Guide to Stopping Unwanted Robocalls and Texts**](https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) Read next related reading - [From this blogHow I Nearly Fell for a Business Verification Voicemail Scam (And How You Can Avoid It)](https://piotrkrzyzek.com/how-i-nearly-fell-for-a-business-verification-voicemail-scam-and-how-you-can-avoid-it/) - [SEOGoogle Business Profile for SEO](https://docs.chykalophia.com/seo/google-business-profile-seo?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com) - [SecurityHow to recognize phishing attempts](https://docs.chykalophia.com/security/recognizing-phishing?ref=piotrkrzyzek.com)