4.3 Entity & Knowledge Graph ✦HighTactical
Fabricated/unverifiable identifiers in markup
Inventing identifiers or sameAs links to make an entity look more established is dishonest and risks penalties when Google cannot verify them. Identifiers must be real and resolvable.
What it is
Invented LEI/DUNS/ORCID etc.
Why it matters
False identifiers can corrupt entity resolution and destroy trust if discovered.
How to fix it
Only use identifiers you genuinely hold.
How to find it on your site
- Review identifiers and sameAs in your markup.
- Confirm each resolves and genuinely belongs to the entity.
- Remove anything fabricated or unverifiable.
- Use only real, official identifiers.
Cross-reference to ranking and citation factors
Fabricated identifiers break trust and can trigger penalties when unverifiable. Only genuine identifiers belong in markup.
Impact
Medium; integrity risk. Tactical (our integrity rule).
Evidence
Use only genuine, verifiable identifiers (integrity principle aligned with quality/trust). Google, Search Quality Rater Guidelines (PDF); Google Search Central, Structured data general guidelines
Sources