There is a specific scam that’s been circulating, and we’re flagging this to you so you can protect yourself and your business.
Fraudsters are paying to place fake “Sage support” phone numbers at the very top of search engine results (Google, Bing, and others). These listings can look completely legitimate — they may use wording like “Sage Technical Support” or “Sage Business Care” — but the phone number does not belong to Sage. When customers call, they’re connected to a third party that often plays generic hold music, never actually identifies itself as Sage, and in some cases claims your support plan has lapsed and pressures you to pay to restore it.
How to recognize a fake “Sage support” advertisement:
- It shows up as a “Sponsored” or “Ad” result — usually sitting above the genuine search results. Anyone can pay to appear there, so a top position does not mean it’s official.
- The phone number isn’t one you’ll find published on sage.com.
- If you call, the agent doesn’t clearly identify the company as Sage, or gives a vague, scripted greeting.
- They create a sense of urgency — telling you your subscription or support has expired and that you must pay immediately.
Sponsored results vs. real results — the key difference:
Search engines label paid placements with a small “Sponsored” or “Ad” tag, and these appear before the regular (“organic”) results. Those paid spots are sold to whoever buys them, including bad actors impersonating trusted brands. The genuine, unpaid results — and most importantly, Sage’s own website — are where you’ll find verified contact information.
The simplest way to stay safe:
Never get Sage’s phone number or contact details from a search engine. Always start from an official Sage page:
- Go directly to www.Sage.com/Resources, select your region and product, then see the Contact Us menu, which routes you to your local Sage Support Central.
- Bookmark these links so you never have to search for them again.
If you think you’ve been deceived or charged:
Report it to Sage right away, and if you made any payment, contact your bank or card provider to dispute it. In the U.S., report to the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report the fraudulent listing directly to the search engine through its reporting tools.
For a full rundown of how to spot scams and verify you’re dealing with the real Sage, see our complete alert: Protect Yourself from Third-Party Scams When Contacting Sage Support.
Stay safe, and as always — if something feels off, trust your instincts.