*Updated: 08-10-2026
At first, you might not notice the new “dispensary.”
Appearing almost overnight on Google Maps, it looks legitimate: a polished storefront, bright green signage, shelves of colourful products behind the glass. The photographs look convincing—almost too convincing.
But for those paying attention, something doesn’t quite add up.
The giveaway is hidden in the picture: a Telegram handle displayed on the building instead of the original company’s logo.
Criminals are creating fake images of cannabis businesses and using them to lure customers to Telegram channels. With the help of AI-generated content, they can manufacture convincing photographs of storefronts, interiors, products, staff and even delivery vans.
These images are then uploaded to legitimate Google Business locations as user-submitted photographs, making it appear as though the business has changed its appearance or is operating a completely different service.
Google Maps locations hijacked by Telegram scammers
Examples have reportedly appeared on profiles belonging to businesses such as Barney’s Coffeeshop and Coffeeshop 137, where suspicious images promote Telegram-based contact details.
What is not entirely clear is how scammers are able to get a specific user-submitted photograph displayed as the main photo for a business.
Google’s system can select user-submitted images based on a number of signals, including visibility and user interaction. This raises an important question:
Could this be exposing a weakness in Google’s photo-ranking or submission system?
The potential impact is significant.
If you are not regularly monitoring your Google Business Profile, you could easily miss the fact that hundreds—or even thousands—of potential customers are being shown an image that has nothing to do with your actual business.
Most users will not necessarily know what the location is supposed to look like. They may see a new, professionally produced photograph and simply assume that the business has been renovated, rebranded or expanded.
Some customers may even interact with the image because it looks new and appealing. Increased engagement could potentially give the photograph even more visibility, allowing it to appear more prominently in the profile.
And, ultimately, a potential customer may never visit the legitimate business at all. Instead, they may contact the Telegram account shown in the fake photograph and attempt to order products illegally online.
What should you do?
1. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
Make sure your business profile is claimed and verified using one of the verification methods provided by Google.
2. Report suspicious photographs
If you discover a fake or misleading image, report it through Google Maps. Depending on the circumstances, options such as “Spam” or “Wrong place” may be appropriate.
You can also ask staff or trusted customers to report the same image if it genuinely violates Google’s policies. Do not encourage people to submit false reports simply to manipulate the system.
3. Monitor your profile regularly
Don’t just check your business information. Regularly review user-submitted photographs, reviews and other public contributions associated with your Google Business Profile.
A few minutes of monitoring could reveal that your storefront has suddenly been replaced online by a business that doesn’t exist.
The bigger problem
AI has made it remarkably easy to manufacture photographs that look real enough to fool someone scrolling through Google Maps.
The scammers don’t necessarily need to build a fake storefront.
They only need to make the internet believe that one exists.
Cannabis businesses are not the only targets
It’s not only coffeeshops such as Barney’s, Siberie, Coffeeshop Relax, Resin and Coffeeshop 137 that can be affected.
Smart shops, seed banks and other cannabis-related businesses can also become targets, including businesses such as Sensi Seeds, Royal Queen Seeds and Barney’s Farm.
The problem is that the scam does not necessarily require criminals to create a completely new Google Maps listing.
Instead, they can exploit the visibility and reputation of an existing, legitimate business.
By the time a company realizes what has happened, the fake “dispensary” may already be diverting potential customers to the scammers.
Meanwhile, legitimate businesses can find themselves receiving angry messages or reviews from people demanding refunds for orders they never placed with the actual company.
