Android Users Calling White House Saw 'Epstein Island'—Google Said Someone Edited the Map Listing

On Thursday, journalists using Google Pixel phones were taken aback when the White House switchboard appeared on their screens as 'Epstein Island.'

The bizarre display was the result of a brief, unauthorised edit to Google's business listings, the company confirmed, which affected some Android phones' call identification feature.

The news came after reporters from The Washington Post attempted to contact the White House Style section to verify details of First Lady Melania Trump's appearance at a White House event.

When they dialled the official switchboard, their phones did not display the expected caller ID but instead labelled the number with the name of the private Caribbean island once owned by Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier.

Why The Post Made a Call to the White House

For context, the incident started during the First Lady's 'Fostering the Future Together' summit, where she introduced a humanoid robot, Figure 03, to the spouses of world leaders.

To verify wardrobe details for the event, reporters called the White House, only to see 'Epstein Island' displayed on Pixel phones. Calls from iPhones did not show a name.

Google spokesman Matthew Flegal described the episode as the result of a 'fake edit' in Google Maps that was temporarily reflected in some Android devices' call ID systems. The company reversed the edit, blocked the user responsible from making further changes, and confirmed that calling the switchboard after Friday showed only the telephone number, with no name attached.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, emphasised that the mislabel was external and unrelated to any internal White House system.

The Epstein Connections

The unexpected display carried an uncomfortable historical connection.

Current US President Donald Trump had a known social connection with Jeffrey Epstein before the pair fell out in the mid-2000s.

Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking and abusing minors, used his private Caribbean estate, Little St. James—commonly referred to as 'Epstein Island'—as a base for some of his crimes, prosecutors have said.

Google Maps Vulnerabilities And Caller ID Risks

Experts have long criticised Google's system for its susceptibility to malicious edits.

Mike Blumenthal, a consultant who helps businesses manage their presence in Google search results, said the platform's databases can be manipulated easily, allowing fake phone numbers or names to appear in high-profile listings.

Similar incidents have happened on Google Maps before, showing how easily its open-editing system can be exploited. Users searching for banks, airlines, or local services have occasionally been misled by fake phone numbers or spoofed business names, sometimes causing confusion or wasted calls.

In September 2024, pranksters took advantage of the way Google Maps lets users suggest edits to public listings and altered the names of multiple schools, most notably in Hong Kong. Schools were relabelled with misleading or humorous names such as 'Fukien Crazy Secondary School.'

These incorrect labels didn't just sit on Maps. They also showed up in other services that pull Google's data, such as ride‑hailing apps, creating confusion for local residents and authorities. Education officials had to report the edits to Google, which removed many of the fake names, though some disparaging entries were slow to be corrected.

For now, it remains unclear how long the White House switchboard appeared as 'Epstein Island,' or whether other caller ID providers were affected.