🔑 Google Ads Policy Violation — Action Required

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Local Services Violation

Locksmith & Garage Door Repair Compliance Checklist

Google places Locksmith and Garage Door Repair businesses under one of its strictest advertising policies because these services are frequently abused by scammers. Even legitimate businesses get suspended for missing verification steps, incorrect location claims, or pricing issues. Work through every item below to find exactly what triggered your violation and fix it properly.

✓ 32 checks across 6 categories
✓ Plain-English explanations
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0 / 32 Fixed
0% complete Tick each item as you fix it ↓
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Business Verification & Licensing
Google requires proof that your locksmith or garage door business is real, licensed, and locally based
0/6
My business is a real, operating locksmith or garage door repair company — not a lead generation or aggregator service
Google strictly bans lead generation businesses, call centres that resell jobs to other contractors, and aggregator services from advertising as if they are the actual service provider. If your business collects calls and passes them to other locksmiths, you are not permitted to run these ads as a direct service provider. You must be the company that actually shows up and does the work.
Critical
I have verified my business through Google's Local Services Ads verification process if I am using Local Services Ads
Local Services Ads (the green "Google Guaranteed" badge ads) require a separate verification process that includes a background check, proof of insurance, and licence verification. If you skipped this or your verification lapsed, your ads will be suspended. Complete or renew this verification before appealing.
Critical
My business holds all required licences and certificates for operating as a locksmith or garage door technician in my state or country
Many states and countries require locksmiths to hold a specific licence, background check clearance, or trade certification. If you are advertising in a regulated jurisdiction without the required credentials, your ads will be suspended. Check your local licensing requirements and upload proof to your Google Ads account.
Critical
My business has valid liability insurance and I have uploaded proof of insurance to my Google account
Google requires locksmith and garage door businesses running Local Services Ads to carry minimum levels of general liability insurance. The certificate of insurance must be current, show the correct business name, and cover the service area you advertise in. An expired or missing certificate is one of the most common reasons for suspension.
Critical
My technicians who perform the work have passed background checks as required by Google's verification process
Google requires that the individuals who actually perform locksmith or garage door work have passed a criminal background check through an approved screening provider. If new technicians have joined your team and have not been screened, this can cause your Google Guarantee status to lapse and your ads to be suspended.
Critical
My business name on Google matches the name on my licence, insurance certificate, and website exactly
Any mismatch between the business name in your Google Ads account, your Google Business Profile, your insurance documents, and your website is a red flag. If your LLC name differs from your trading name, both need to be clearly shown and cross-referenced in your documentation.
Important
📍
Location & Service Area Accuracy
Advertising locations you do not actually serve is the most common violation for local service businesses
0/6
My ads only target cities, postcodes, and areas where I can genuinely be on-site within a reasonable time
One of the most common reasons locksmith accounts get suspended is targeting areas they cannot realistically serve. Advertising in a city three hours away while claiming to be "local" is considered misrepresentation. Set your service area to locations where your technicians can actually respond within the timeframe your ad implies.
Critical
My Google Business Profile shows my real business address or, if mobile-only, is correctly set up as a service-area business with no fake storefront address
Locksmith scammers often use fake addresses — empty lots, UPS Store mailboxes, or residential addresses of people who have no connection to the business. Google actively cross-checks your listed address using Street View and other signals. If your address is fake or cannot be verified as a legitimate business location, your account will be suspended.
Critical
My ads do not include city or neighbourhood names in the ad text for locations I do not actually service
Putting "Available in [City Name]" in your ad headline or description for a city you do not actually cover is geographic misrepresentation. Only include location names in your ad copy for places where you have real coverage with a technician who can respond.
Critical
I have not created multiple Google Business Profile listings for the same business at fake or duplicate addresses
Creating multiple Google Business Profiles at different addresses to cover more areas — when only one physical operation exists — is a practice Google calls "spam listings." This is a common scammer tactic and a serious violation that can result in all associated accounts being permanently banned.
Critical
My phone number in my ads is a real local number — not a call-tracking number that forwards to a national call centre
Using a call centre number or a 1-800 style number that routes to a dispatch hub rather than a local technician is a signal Google uses to identify scam operations. Your displayed phone number should ring directly to your business or local dispatcher — not a centralised national call centre.
Important
My response time claims in ads ("20-minute response," "Arrived in 15 mins") are accurate and achievable across my entire service area
Claiming you can arrive within 20 minutes anywhere in a large metro area is almost always false. If a customer calls from the far end of your service zone and you cannot arrive in the time you advertised, this is misrepresentation. Either shrink your service area or remove specific time claims.
Important
💰
Pricing Transparency & Honest Quotes
Bait-and-switch pricing is the core reason Google restricts locksmith advertising — your prices must be real
0/5
My ads do not advertise an unrealistically low price (like "$15 to unlock your car") that is never the final charge
The locksmith scam that prompted Google's strict policy on this industry is exactly this: advertising "$15 service call" and then charging $200-$400 once on-site. If your ad shows a price, that price must be real and must be what most customers actually pay. Remove all prices from your ads unless they are guaranteed and accurate.
Critical
My landing page clearly shows how pricing works — including what the service call fee covers and how the final quote is determined
Your website must be transparent about pricing. Customers should understand what they will be charged before the technician arrives. If the final price can only be determined on-site, state this clearly — and explain what the call-out fee covers so customers are not surprised.
Critical
I do not use the words "cheap," "affordable," or extremely low price claims in my ads if my actual average job cost is much higher
Using price-related superlatives ("cheapest locksmith in town," "budget-friendly prices") implies a price point you may not actually deliver. If your average job costs $150-$300 and you advertise yourself as "cheap," this creates a misleading impression and can trigger a misrepresentation or bait-and-switch flag.
Important
My technicians give a clear written or verbal quote and get customer approval before starting any work
While this is primarily an operational practice, Google's policy requires that businesses in this industry maintain honest and transparent service practices. Businesses that consistently receive complaints about surprise charges, upselling, or undisclosed fees will eventually be flagged and suspended, even if the ads themselves look compliant.
Important
My website does not have a prominently displayed very low "starting from" price that is never the actual charge for any real job
Showing "From $39" on your website when no job actually costs anywhere near $39 is bait-and-switch pricing — even if it is technically not in the ad itself. Google reviews your landing page and will flag misleading pricing there just as it does in the ad copy.
Critical
🌐
Your Website & Landing Page
Google checks your website carefully — it must look legitimate, be transparent, and work properly
0/6
My website loads properly, looks professional, and clearly identifies my business name, location, and the services I offer
A vague, template-looking website with no specific business details is a major red flag. Your website should clearly state your business name, the city or region you cover, and the specific services you provide. Generic locksmith template sites that could belong to any anonymous company are frequently flagged as scam operations.
Critical
My website has a real "About Us" page with information about my team, how long I have been in business, and my credentials
A legitimate locksmith or garage door business can tell you about itself. An anonymous site with only a contact form and a list of services — but no information about who owns the business, where they are based, or how long they have operated — is exactly what scam sites look like to Google's reviewers.
Critical
My website has a working contact page with a phone number, email address, and ideally a physical or service-area address
A contact page with only a form and no real contact details is a signal of an anonymous or fraudulent operation. Your phone number should be clickable and real. If you are a mobile-only business with no physical address, say so clearly — but you still need at least one genuine contact method.
Critical
My website has a Privacy Policy page accessible from the footer
Every website that collects any customer information — including phone numbers submitted through a contact or quote form — must have a clearly accessible Privacy Policy. Missing this is both a Google requirement and a legal requirement in many countries.
Important
My website does not make false claims about certifications, years in business, or the number of technicians I have
Saying "Over 20 years experience" when the business is 2 years old, or "50 certified technicians" when you have 3 employees, is misrepresentation. Google's reviewers look for signals of inflated or fake credibility claims on locksmith and garage door websites because these are widely used by scam operations.
Important
My website domain has been registered for a reasonable amount of time and does not appear to be a brand-new throwaway site
Domain age is one of the signals Google uses to detect scam locksmith operations that create new websites to avoid previous bans. A domain registered within the last few weeks or months may trigger additional scrutiny. If your site is new, make sure everything else — reviews, business profile, documentation — is in exceptional order.
Good Practice
⭐
Reviews, Reputation & Customer Complaints
Fake reviews and unresolved customer complaints are direct triggers for Local Services Ad suspensions
0/4
All Google reviews on my Business Profile are from real customers — I have not purchased, generated, or incentivised fake reviews
Fake reviews are a common practice among scam locksmith operations, and Google has become very effective at detecting them. Accounts with suspicious review patterns — sudden spikes, reviews from profiles with no history, or reviews that all come from the same IP range — get flagged and suspended. Remove or dispute any fake reviews immediately.
Critical
I have responded professionally to any negative reviews and resolved outstanding customer complaints where possible
A pattern of unresolved complaints about price gouging, overcharging, or not completing the job is a signal Google monitors for Local Services businesses. Even if you cannot delete a bad review, responding professionally and resolving the issue demonstrates you are a legitimate operator.
Important
My Google Business Profile category is correctly set to Locksmith or Garage Door Repair — not a misleading or unrelated category
Some businesses set their primary category to something less scrutinised to avoid the stricter locksmith/garage door policies, then advertise locksmith services. This mismatch between your profile category and your ad content is treated as misrepresentation and can trigger a suspension across both your Business Profile and your Ads account.
Important
My business has no outstanding Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaints, consumer protection actions, or government warnings that remain unresolved
Google's Local Services verification team cross-checks business records including BBB profiles, consumer protection databases, and news results. If your business has been flagged by a consumer protection authority or is listed in a scam locksmith database, resolving those issues — and providing documentation of the resolution — is essential before appealing.
Important
📋
Your Appeal & Account Health
Before submitting your appeal, every one of these must be in order or your appeal will fail
0/5
I have identified the specific reason for my suspension — whether it is a verification issue, a policy violation in my ads, a website problem, or a review/reputation issue
Your suspension notice from Google should give you a category for the violation. If it is not clear, check your Google Ads policy centre and your Local Services Ads dashboard for more detail. You cannot write an effective appeal without knowing specifically what caused the suspension — different causes require completely different fixes.
Critical
I have paused or removed every ad that contains the content or claims that caused the violation
Never submit an appeal while the violating ads are still running. Google's review team checks your live campaigns as part of the appeal process. Any ad still showing the problematic content — misleading prices, false location claims, unverified service promises — will result in your appeal being immediately rejected.
Critical
My appeal letter clearly explains what was wrong, what specific changes I have made, and includes any documentation I can provide (licence, insurance, etc.)
A winning appeal is specific: it names the exact issue ("My ad showed a $29 service fee that did not reflect actual pricing"), confirms what was done to fix it ("I have removed the price claim and updated my landing page to show a transparent pricing range"), and offers supporting documentation. Vague appeals are rejected almost universally.
Critical
I have not created a new Google Ads account to try to keep running ads while the original account is suspended
Creating a new account to bypass a suspension is called circumvention. Google links accounts through shared payment methods, IP addresses, phone numbers, and device fingerprints. If detected, circumvention results in a permanent ban on all related accounts with no appeal option.
Critical
My billing information is up to date and there are no outstanding unpaid invoices on my Google Ads account
Unpaid invoices or billing issues can cause appeals to be delayed or rejected independently of the policy violation. Settle any outstanding balance before submitting your appeal to remove this as a potential complication.
Important
⚠️
These Critical items are still unresolved — they appear as "Fix Needed" in your downloaded report
🔑 Local Services Policy Expert

Still suspended after fixing these issues?

Local Services violations — especially for locksmith and garage door businesses — are among the hardest to resolve because Google scrutinises this industry more than almost any other. I review your full account, verify your documentation is complete, and write the appeal for you.

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Built by Muhammad Umair — Performance Marketing Specialist
Based on Google Ads Local Services policy guidelines for Locksmiths & Garage Door Repair businesses.
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