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What You Need to Know
- WhatsApp numbers have been bulk-added to Google Business Profile profiles without owner permission the week of June 9, 2026.
- Many added numbers are incorrect or landline lines that cannot receive WhatsApp messages — causing confusion for customers and businesses.
- No official deletion option exists in the dashboard yet. Google confirmed it’s a bug and is working on a fix.
Here’s what actually happened. Google pushed a change that added WhatsApp numbers to thousands of Local Search Forum listings automatically. I’ve seen this play out before — a poorly tested rollout that catches the entire ecosystem off guard. Nobody talks about this part until the damage is already done.
Let Me Show You the Data
The scale is massive. Reports hit the Search Engine Roundtable and X on June 9–11, 2026. Len Raleigh flagged the wave first — a flood of incorrect WhatsApp numbers appearing on GBP profiles. Rhea Velgos confirmed receiving emails from Google for three of her profiles with new chat links. I checked my own dashboard. Same story. A pattern, not a take.
This isn’t an isolated incident. I’ve watched Google push semi-baked features before — remember the short-name rollout? That broke consistently for months. The playbook changed. Again.
What Makes This Bug Dangerous
Slow down. Think. The problem isn’t just that Google added a WhatsApp number. The problem is what those numbers actually are. In many documented cases, the WhatsApp field now shows the business’s primary landline number. A landline doesn’t support texting. So customers who click the WhatsApp button get a dead end — a non-functional chat link that frustrates rather than connects. Let me tell you from experience: a bad customer experience on a GBP listing can tank your local pack rankings and reduce click-through dramatically.
No Deletion Option — Yet
This is where it gets absurd. When I tried to remove the WhatsApp number from my dashboard, the delete option simply wasn’t there. Claudia Tomina, a recognized Google product expert, confirmed on the Local Search Forum that this is a bug, and Google is working on it. No timeline. So for now, business owners are stuck. I’ve seen this play out before — a bug that drags on for weeks while support tickets pile up.
What You Should Do Right Now
I’m not going to tell you to panic. But I am going to tell you to check your dashboard. Here’s the short list:
- Log into your Google Business Profile and verify every WhatsApp entry.
- Watch for email alerts from Google regarding profile updates.
- Document the incorrect numbers with screenshots in case you need to escalate.
- If you can’t delete the number, file a support ticket mentioning the bug confirmed by Claudia Tomina.
I’ve been through enough GMB rollbacks to know this — Google will fix it. But the real question is whether your customers will see a dead chat link before that fix arrives.
Bottom Line
Nobody talks about this part: bugs like this compound silently. A single broken WhatsApp link on a high-profile listing can cost you leads for days. I’ve seen entire campaigns derailed by half-baked platform features. The playbook changed again. Check your listings. Wait for the fix. Move on.
Source: Search Engine Roundtable and Local Search Forum, June 11, 2026.
Building websites since before Google existed. I’ve run SEO, growth, and content for startups across California — and I’ve watched every ‘revolutionary’ tactic eventually expire. What doesn’t expire: understanding systems, compounding effort, and thinking slower than everyone else.