Fraudulent Clicks

[daboss]

hypothetical question:

in a forum like this one (dp), some member who is overly 'enthusiastic' keeps clicking on the adsense ads - without the knowledge of the owner of the forum. there is no way for the forum owner to know who's been doing it although he knows that the clickthrough rate is artificial (which can be seen through the adsense control panel).

i'm sure this happens. what will happen to the site - will google ban the account? best practices?

any comments would be appreciated?

[digitalpoint]

Google will invalidate the clicks.

[TonysDesigns]

From what I know, they will invalidate the ACCOUNT.

There has been alot of this floating around of people who HATE others who run AS when they overclick thier ads. In fact, I run a tracking program along side the adsense stats (around 15k - 22k pageviews daily on 6 different sites) and sometimes I notice over 10-15 clicks from the same IP address!! :mad: Needless to say THIS SUX!! I wish google would allow us, as webmasters, with some volume to invalidate the clicks ourselves when we notice this. This would be useful even to invalidate my own IP address as I have accidentially clicked my ads a few times clicking out of windows, etc. Google didn't say anything, luckily, but I had this turd in my pants over it.


Google will invalidate the clicks.

[schlottke]

They won't invalidate the account.

How did you track the clicks on the adsense ads to know they were coming from the same IP?

[sarahk]

I wish google would allow us, as webmasters, with some volume to invalidate the clicks ourselves when we notice this. If you have their IP address you could always choose not to show Google Ads on your site when they visit. Run the ban yourself. Doesn't help the novice site owner but they wouldn't be able to get the IP anyway.

What would be of interest is to have Google raise a flag for you so you can investigate who the nasties are and take appropriate action - what else are they trying - hacks?

Sarah

[schlottke]

I just can't see it being true, to be honest. I haven't heard about anyone getting banned in recent time w/o that IP logging into the adsense account once or twice also..

[TonysDesigns]

With the tracking script I have here (http://www.iwebforums.com/showthread.php?t=9)



They won't invalidate the account.

How did you track the clicks on the adsense ads to know they were coming from the same IP?

[nevetS]

I had fraudulent clicks frequently as an adwords advertiser. Google never said anything, they just didn't charge me for them. I know because I saw the activity in my logs, and with what I was paying per click, I couldn't have afforded them. Vice versa, I clicked on the ads on my own site to see what I would earn, out of curiosity when I first signed up - being very naive about the TOS. Google didn't pay me for those clicks. I tried the next day with much more clicking, and they also didn't pay me. I posted at one of the other webmaster forums and was pretty seriously scolded by the forum members, but I never heard anything from google.

I think that seeing a small amount of self-clicking is probably normal with newbies trying to figure out if the system is actually an honest one. I would think that for the numbers to get outrageous enough to cancel an account, the click volumes would have to either be very high, or very regular.

I occasionally click on my own ads when I get too lazy to actually type the web address in myself (I like to see who I'm advertising for, and block them if necessary, and occasionally I actually buy things that I'm interested in). Those clicks never show up in my reports (my click numbers are small enough that I'd notice), and they have never sent me a warning or anything like that. I do usually type the address in manually, my self-clicks at this point happen probably less than a handful every other month.

[TonysDesigns]

D00D, this is plain russian roulette. If you are not making much on adsense, then you really have nothing to worry about.

I occasionally click on my own ads when I get too lazy to actually type the web address in myself (I like to see who I'm advertising for, and block them if necessary, and occasionally I actually buy things that I'm interested in).

[schlottke]

I wouldn't click your own ads- they *will* ban for that if it appears abused. OTHER people, on the other hand, you have a VERY low chance of getting banned.

Take the same guidelines you use in SEO, You can get yourself banned from google easily, but other people getting you banned does not happen often.

[Weirfire]

From what I know, they will invalidate the ACCOUNT.

There has been alot of this floating around of people who HATE others who run AS when they overclick thier ads. In fact, I run a tracking program along side the adsense stats (around 15k - 22k pageviews daily on 6 different sites) and sometimes I notice over 10-15 clicks from the same IP address!! :mad: Needless to say THIS SUX!! I wish google would allow us, as webmasters, with some volume to invalidate the clicks ourselves when we notice this. This would be useful even to invalidate my own IP address as I have accidentially clicked my ads a few times clicking out of windows, etc. Google didn't say anything, luckily, but I had this turd in my pants over it.


If you notify Google any time you accidentally click on your adverts then they will be able to see that you are an honest adsense user and would eliminate any chance of your account being deactivated.

[T0PS3O]

Google didn't say anything, luckily, but I had this turd in my pants over it.

With Google's cutting edge technology firmly in place, one would reckon you didn't have to shit yourself whenever you click your own ads by accident.

When you sign up and whenever you log in to your account they will know your IP address and all other info. Clicks from these just won't count. Only when you are getting silly and keep clicking, then they might consider banning you altogether.

If it still scares the shit out of you...
Click Here (http://www.huggies.com/na/index.asp)

[boogle]

From my experience this results in an account ban!!!

[Weirfire]

i did it a few times by mistake and didn't get banned. It just came up as a click and didn't earn anything.

[NewComputer]

To say that they will close accounts is absurd. They know what is going on and they easily invalidate those accounts. Tony, you say you see 15+ from the same account, how come your account hasn't been closed by Google then?

This program is still in it's infancy, and while fraud is going to happen from people yike qll etc.... Google knows it needs its vaild subcribers to survive. It is a hand in hand relationship. Someone like Shawn who is getting this many visitors is probably high on the list to protect. If you are not clicking the ads yourself, or asking someone else to click them for you, don't sweat it and let Google handle it...

[melfan]

Clicking on your own ad wont get your account banned instantly but if you make it a habit they will find out and you'll regret it.

[NewComputer]

For sure, but why would you be clicking your own ads anyways? The only plausible reasons would be

A) Fraud

B) To see what is being offered to your customer.

[TonysDesigns]

That is right. Should NOT be done ever



For sure, but why would you be clicking your own ads anyways? The only plausible reasons would be

A) Fraud

B) To see what is being offered to your customer.

[johncr]

That's why Google offers the Preview Tool

[schlottke]

I think just about everyone making decent money off adsense (>$2000) is in frequent contact back and forth w/ someone from google discussing the program and where it is headed. They are always working out the minor flaws in the program. Faking clicks can make people money over a short period of time, but they will fix the problem. It won't be a life long profit- so to me- that seems like a lot more work.

[nevetS]

That's why Google offers the Preview Tool
What's that?

[melfan]

What's that?

Read the Adsense Preview Tool for more info:

https://www.google.com/adsense/previewtool

[NewComputer]

That's why Google offers the Preview Tool

Absolutely, but if you don't frequent these types of venues you may not know about the preview tool. When I first started with AdSense, I had no idea that a tool was available to view them.

[TonysDesigns]

Venues! LOL, your right.



Absolutely, but if you don't frequent these types of venues you may not know about the preview tool. When I first started with AdSense, I had no idea that a tool was available to view them.

[daboss]

thanks guys for your comments. however, what i read:
1. there is no way google can differentiate between you clicking you own ads and someone else who's clicking on the ads without your knowledge
2. however, in the long run, trust google to know whom to ban and whom not to ban

hmm... 1 and 2 does not jive...

[minstrel]

trust google to know whom to ban and whom not to ban
I'm not sure it's a matter of trusting or not trusting. People don't use AdSense out of pure good-natured human kindness. They use it to make money. Google runs AdSense. Google determines the rules. If you are an AdSense affiliate, you agree to those rules when you sign on. If Google determines their rules have been broken, they cancel your affiliate account.

Is this any different than any other affilate or franchise?

[melfan]

Is this any different than any other affilate or franchise?

Yes there is. Some affiliates let you see the IP addresses and logs of your visitors thats clicking your ads. From these point you can prevent abuse as soon as possible and saving your account being banned. What adsense lacks is transparency. But ofcoz just by accepting google terms publishers have no choice.

[minstrel]

But ofcoz just by accepting google terms publishers have no choice
Well, of course, if you don't like the TOS no one is twisting your arm to sign up. I did because i like the way the targetted ads work and a couple of others I tried a few years ago that tried to do similar things pretty much sucked.

[melfan]

Well, of course, if you don't like the TOS no one is twisting your arm to sign up. I did because i like the way the targetted ads work and a couple of others I tried a few years ago that tried to do similar things pretty much sucked.

Yes I agree. Your IN if you have adsense on your site :) although Im trying to take away big percent of earning from adsense by concentrating in affiliate programs.

[wondweing]

Very interesting thread :D

[schlottke]

well it may draw their attention to it, at the very least.

[stephaneggy]

Just dont click your own ads, thats the main trick

[Developer]

Speaking about fraud clicks:
Yesterday, I was reading about websites for sale on one websites brokerage site. I noticed one site with steady income, bla, bla, I visited it, and my surprise :) they are selling software for generating fraud clicks, and they are very open about it.

So, everyone who buy 'clicks' from someone, should be careful, you might get this 'clicks'.


Cheers

[NewComputer]

thanks guys for your comments. however, what i read:
1. there is no way google can differentiate between you clicking you own ads and someone else who's clicking on the ads without your knowledge
2. however, in the long run, trust google to know whom to ban and whom not to ban

hmm... 1 and 2 does not jive...

1. Yes they can... sort of. If you login from your house, and your IP is logged and then you click your ads from the same IP, those clicks will be disqualified and eventually you will get banned. If you are doing it from someone else's 'house' say, they will eventually not count those hits either.

2. Trust is the wrong word. Deal with someone and their guidelines and TOS, who is allowing you to earn some additional income, or find another way to earn some additional income. If Google banned me for a right or wrong reason, I would either deal with it (if I was in the wrong) or I would contact them and find a resolution or else an alternative.

As for the 2 not jiving... they really do not have to. It is like M$ putting out a buggy and incomplete product. You either deal with it or find someone else.

[ga22]

If you are doing it from someone else's 'house' say, they will eventually not count those hits either.

I'm not so sure of this. On the adwords side of things, Google tends to charge you for a click from the same person on the same computer every single day. It is far from perfect.

[Mia]

I guess this is all a part of advertising.. This is not much more different than say a competitor getting a newspaper that has your add. Not everyone that you advertise to is going to be a qualified buyer.

HOWEVER... Let's say your competitor went around and grabbed bup the news papers from the stores and peoples lawns. Hmm.. It starts to sound like there is an issue. In any event the SE's and other advertising outlets should have methods in place to combat this fraud. They cannot do it completley, but they sure could make a dent. I would think if the level of abuse is consistent and constant, an from the same IP and or netblock, it is not hard to find a pattern.

I look at all the intelligence that Google has built into their search and other tools and cannot seem to rationalize that they would not have measures in place to combat fraudulent clicks. They sure can find it with AdSense, so would it not stand to reason they could do it with AdWords?