If you run a Service-Area Business (SAB), your Google Business Profile intentionally hides your physical address from the public. When Search Atlas builds citations on your behalf, a dummy address is sometimes required as a placeholder to complete directory submissions. Most directories suppress this address automatically — but some third-party aggregators publish it publicly instead.
If you have found that one or more of your SAB citations show a dummy address visible to the public, this article explains how to identify affected listings, request corrections, and recover any credits spent on incompatible aggregators.
Citation networks and data aggregators vary in how they handle SAB privacy settings. Directories that are fully SAB-compatible will either hide the address field or display a service-area description in its place. However, some aggregators do not support address suppression and will publish whatever address is submitted. Search Atlas flags known incompatible aggregators before submission where possible, but edge cases can occur.
Confirm that your GBP profile is set to hide your physical address (as expected for a service-area business).
Review each submitted citation and check whether the directory is displaying your dummy address publicly. You can do this by visiting the live directory URL included in your citation report.
Make a list of every directory where the dummy address is visible.
Once you have identified the affected citations, take the following steps for each one:
Directories with a self-service portal: Log in to the directory account created during citation building and update the address field to remove or hide the address. Save your changes and allow time for the update to propagate.
Directories without self-service access: Contact the directory directly using their listed support channel and request that the address be suppressed or the listing be removed. Reference your business name and the dummy address so their team can locate the record quickly.
Aggregator-distributed citations: If the dummy address was pushed through a data aggregator, suppression may need to happen at the aggregator level first before downstream directories update. Note which aggregator is involved so our team can assist.
If credits were spent on citation submissions to directories that are incompatible with SAB address suppression, you may be eligible for a reimbursement. To escalate this request, please have the following ready for our support team:
Your project name or the affected SAB business name
The specific directories or aggregators where the dummy address is publicly visible
Any citation report URLs or screenshots showing the publicly displayed address
Our team will review the affected submissions and determine whether a credit reimbursement applies to your account.
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.