Beware of VLSMarketing.net – A Scam Operation Targeting Small Business Owners

Unsolicited "Red Flags" Sales Call From vlsmarketing.net: My Experience and Why I'm Warning Others

I'm sharing this as a public complaint and warning about a company using the website vlsmarketing.net (branding itself as "Visual Link Solutions"). 

What happened

I received an unsolicited call where the person claimed:
• My website is "not coming up on Google."
• My Yelp listing is "not coming up properly" and "not showing on other social media channels."
• There were "red flags" on my listing.
• I should sign up with them to fix it.

To me, this sounded like a fear-based sales pitch designed to pressure me into paying for a service.

Why their claims did not make sense

Here's what immediately raised my suspicion:

1) Vague "red flags" with no specifics

If someone truly found a problem, they should be able to tell you exactly what it is, where it appears, and how they verified it. "Red flags" is a convenient phrase that sounds serious while staying non-specific.

2) "Your site isn't showing on Google" is often a misleading claim

A site can appear for some searches but not others. Rankings vary by location, device, personalization, search history, and competition. Someone making a blanket statement like that, without showing evidence, is not doing a real audit.

3) The Yelp and "other social media channels" line is a classic confusion tactic

A Yelp listing does not automatically "show up" across social media platforms by default. Businesses can distribute listings to multiple directories using various tools, but presenting this as a "your Yelp is broken everywhere" emergency is misleading. One of the services associated with this domain appears to promote directory distribution across many listings, which lines up with this style of pitch. 

The biggest red flags from the call itself

This is what made it feel scammy and spammy to me:
• Cold call out of nowhere.
• Scare language ("red flags") meant to create urgency.
• Claims that were broad and impossible to validate on the spot.
• A push to sign up, instead of providing clear, written proof.

Also worth noting: public WHOIS information shows vlsmarketing.net was registered on June 16, 2025. A newer domain is not automatically bad, but it is a detail consumers may want when deciding how much trust to place in a company. 

Some automated "website reputation" checkers have entries for this domain, but those scores are automated and should not be treated as proof either way. 

How to verify the truth in 5 minutes (before paying anyone)

If you get a call like this, you can check key things yourself:
1. Check Google results in a neutral way: use an incognito/private window and search your business name and domain.
2. Check indexing: search site:yourdomain.com on Google to see if pages are indexed.
3. Confirm your business listings directly: open your Google Business Profile and Yelp listing from your official account and confirm the details match what's public.
4. Ask them for proof: request screenshots, exact search terms used, the location they searched from, and a written report.

If they dodge those questions or keep pushing payment, treat that as a serious warning sign.

What I recommend if you were contacted by vlsmarketing.net
• Do not sign up based on a surprise call.
• Do not give remote access to your computer or website.
• Do not share login details, verification codes, or payment info unless you have independently verified the company.
• Consider reporting deceptive marketing or suspected fraud through official channels. In Canada, the Competition Bureau has guidance on deceptive marketing practices, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre provides resources for reporting fraud. 
In the US and Canada, BBB Scam Tracker is also commonly used for scam reports. 

Final word

In my opinion, the outreach and claims I received from vlsmarketing.net were deceptive and designed to pressure me into paying for services I do not believe were legitimate or necessary.

If you have been contacted by vlsmarketing.net, or have any experience with this company, please post your comments in the comments section below.