Policies concerning businesses using UPS Store and like addresses with no actual business presence

[Gmaps9]

Clearly, businesses want its presence shown on the map in city center and the reflection of this shows a large number of businesses in city center with the UPS Store address.

Some may not even have a box as many don't show the box number.  They could simply be using UPS Store address in an attempt to stay under the radar and hope that we don't catch them. 

Many of these businesses are contractors that use Google Maps as a place to plaster their phone numbers and website. 

Its my understanding that the idea of Google Maps is to show points of interest that actually exists on the map shown.  If a simple list of private boxes at the UPS Store was allowed, it is simply an Yellow Page with a decorative map.  What is the official policy on these POI?  I've been removing them as "does not exist" unless I can verify their existence.  An HVAC contractor located at the UPS Store obviously does not operate from there for example. 

If you look at http://www.google.com/mapmaker?gw=39&fid=0x80c2b91f89105a9b:0xfd02c8bc0f956f3 and use the "select a place" in edit menu to invoke a listing around the POI, it becomes clearly obvious that places that clearly do not have business or staff at that location pops up. 

So what does official rules say about these phantom locations?

[Willy Hrachovina]

The Google Policy is that a business must have a physical presence in a given location in order to be listed. If they have a P.O. Box for an address or are listed at their mailing address, i.e. The UPS Store, but do not have a physical presence at that location, they are not allowed and should be deleted. You can use either the "Does not exist" reason, or even the "Spam/Abuse" reason, as they are technically spam. I have been using both, with no real rhyme or reason.

I am curious, how long does it take for you to get these deleted entries approved by Google Reviewers? I have gone through and deleted several dozen in my area, with many of them still sitting pending review after several weeks, or even a couple months. I am also curious if you ever have problems with Google Reviewers saying you should undo the deletion since they can confirm the business exists, and how you respond to that.

[Funkytoad]

I've gone through and deleted a number of entries like these in my area. Many of theme were approved by a Regional Expert Reviewer. As for the ones reviewed by Google Reviewers, I would say that on average they all took about a month to get approved. But the were all eventually approved without any problems or explanations required.

[Gmaps9]

I deleted a ton of mailbox "stuffers" but they don't get removed or take forever before someone reviews it.  I think we need a link to official Google policy about UPS Store box and such so reviewers can refer to it.

[eastwest]

The problem you'll run into, unfortunately, is that some (many?) of these POIs are owner-verified listings in Places. With mailboxes rented from non-USPS sites (e.g., UPS Stores), it's easy enough to construct the address so that it looks like a physical location, using the mailbox center's street address and the box number as the "suite" number -- and a Google reviewer sitting far away would be none the wiser.

Some owners take the ruse even further and use completely unrelated addresses -- here's an AC contractor (Places page -- which apparently uses a photo from another AC company's site; nice guys) that set up shop in the local symphony hall -- and here's one (Places page) that just goes ahead and uses a fictitious address. But as they're both owner-verified listings, they're proving difficult to remove.

[Flash]

Yes, if you go through the Places help, in one spot it does say that no P.O. boxes are allowed; but in another spot states that all you need to verified on Places is an address where they can mail you a confirmation code; after which you can hide the address and define a service area instead.  So really, any mail box service other than the government Post Office will do for getting that code; you just need to put "Suite #", Office #", etc. in front of your box number, and then it shouldn't raise flags.

And I'm sure there are many with which you don't even have to use a box number.  I am Canadian, but live right on the US border.  In the small border town on the US side is a parcel receiving service I use, set up for Canadians to order from the many US companies that won't ship to Canada.  We aren't assigned box numbers there, I just have parcels addressed as My Name, 123 Main St. Sumas, Wa.  In the modern computer age it is a much more efficient use of space for them to put my name and the shelf spot they found for it in the computer when they receive a package, and then look up the shelf location when I get there.  They have been doing so well with the business that 3 new competitors have opened up the past 2 years, all of which don't need box numbers.  I know several people that get regular mail through them; a US magazine subscription is 1/4 the cost of what it is up here.  These people used to keep P.O. boxes at the Sumas Post Office, but the private businesses charge half as much.

@Gmaps9 - Here is the official guidelines/policy.  P.O. boxes not being acceptable is also in this page's best practices.  A Google mod has included non government postal centres into the policy here.

How's this for a thought; Google could use us for our local knowledge; provide us a method of flagging any address that provides mailing address services.  Not only could it help with Map Maker, but this could go into the database that's used for checking Places addresses.  It would best to be set up as something that requires RER or GR review on any edit to remove the flag.