Something affecting just about everyone seeking to travel somewhere but not getting much play in most media are fake businesses that post listings on Google Maps and lead users astray, noted Grumpy Editor.
The Wall Street Journal tackled the story, noting "listings that show up often contain made-up information."
As Journal writer Katherine Bindley pointed out, "Some fake business listings might just be a popular search term or phrase. The address might be occupied by an entirely different company, or it might not exist at all. The phone number might route you to a marketing firm known as a lead-generation business that is paid to forward your call to a service provider."
Google, she added, responded on its effort to combat fake business listings, saying "It's a constant balancing act and we're continually working on new and better ways to fight these scams using a variety of ever-evolving manual and automated systems."
How does one spot a fake business? Bindley said be wary of business names with keywords such as "best," "dependable" or "emergency."
Also, check the Better Business Bureau and Google the address to see if the same business pops up.
Keep in mind, too, that customer reviews can be faked.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...
RESCUE DOG INSPIRES LA-Z-BOY. La-Z-Boy, the furniture company, noted the story of a starving four-month-old puppy found abandoned in a recliner on the side of a remote Mississippi road. In the care of Brookhaven Animal Rescue League, the puppy is getting back to health after going nearly a week without food. La-Z-Boy contacted Brookhaven to learn more about the puppy and was so moved “by the work behind the organization and the amount of animals that are taken into the shelter each month,” La-Z-Boy said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE, that the company decided to make a donation to the rescue. Along with funds to Brookhaven, La-Z-Boy also sent the shelter 50 pet beds to ensure shelter residents stay comfortable while they wait forever homes.
INVESTORS CHEER FIRST-HALF MARKET ACTION. Wall Street wrapped up a booming June and first half of the year as investors cheered the prospects of easier monetary policy from the Federal Reserve and awaited clarity on U.S.-China trade relations. The Dow rallied 7.2% in June, its best June performance since 1938.
NORTH KOREA SECURITY GUARDS INJURE TRUMP'S NEW PRESS SECRETARY. Stephanie Grisham, who recently replaced Sarah Sanders as White House press secretary, suffered bruises when North Korean security guards tried to protect Kim Jong Un from media members covering the DMZ meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
BIBLE, SHOTGUN, FLAG IN PROMOTION. A Chatom, Ala. car dealership is giving away a Bible, a 12-gauge shotgun and an American flag with the purchase of a new or used vehicle as part of its Fourth of July sales promotion in a “God, Guns and Freedom” campaign that runs until July 31.
PEW FINDS LOCAL TV MORE TRUSTED. Pew found that local TV is more trusted (mostly by viewers 50 and up) and was still the preferred choice of getting news. But viewership of local TV news continued to decline.
MITSUBISHI MOTORS MOVES U.S. HEADQUARTERS EAST. After three decades in California's Orange County, Mitsubishi Motors is relocating its North American headquarters to a Nashville, Tenn. suburb. Japanese automakers have been attracted to lower cost of operations in Southern states.
ALLSTATE CITES AREAS WITH WORST DRIVERS. Fifteen metro areas with the worst drivers, according to an Allstate study --- along with “risky roads” where most crashes tend to occur:
1. Baltimore, Maryland: Highway 695
2. Washington, D.C.: Highway 295
3. Boston, Massachusetts: Route 93
4. Worcester, Massachusetts: Main Street
5. Glendale, California: 134 Freeway
6. Los Angeles, California: 405 Freeway
7. Springfield, Massachusetts: Interstate 91
8. Providence, Rhode Island: Route 95
9. Alexandria, Virginia: Richmond Highway
10. Oakland, California: Highway 880
11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Roosevelt Boulevard
12. San Francisco, California: Highway 101
13. Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Interstate 10
14. Pasadena, California: 210 Freeway
15. Hayward, California: Highway 880
