A temporary glitch in Google’s mapping service caused the White House to appear as “Epstein Island” in the caller identification display for some Google Pixel phone users during inbound calls, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The incident occurred earlier this week when a journalist from the newspaper found the presidential residence’s name replaced on their device. The mislabel referenced Little St. James, the Caribbean island owned by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex trafficking. The erroneous name was displayed exclusively for callers using Google Pixel devices, while users on other Android phones and iPhones saw no identification or the correct name.
Google spokesperson Matthew Flegal confirmed the issue stemmed from a “fake edit” made to Google Maps, which was erroneously integrated into the caller ID feature on some Android phones. Flegal stated the user responsible was identified and barred from further edits for violating Google’s policies. The correct White House listing has since been restored on the mapping platform.
The error brings renewed attention to the disgraced financier, whose 2019 arrest and subsequent death in custody intensified scrutiny of his alleged sex-trafficking ring. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice released a vast archive of documents related to the case, ordered by President Donald Trump. The heavily redacted files mention Trump’s name thousands of times but contain no evidence of criminal activity. Trump has consistently denied any association with Epstein, claiming he “never went to the infested Epstein island.”
The brief misnaming underscores the vulnerability of widely used digital platforms to malicious or prank edits, which can propagate through integrated services like caller ID. It highlights the operational challenge technology companies face in maintaining data integrity across interconnected systems, particularly for high-profile locations. Google’s swift correction and user sanction aim to reassure users about the security of its services, though the incident serves as a reminder of potential real-world confusion from digital misinformation.
