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Fraudulent Clicks

Discussion in 'Guidelines / Compliance' started by daboss, Nov 28, 2004.

  1. #1
    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?
     
    daboss, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  2. digitalpoint

    digitalpoint Overlord of no one Staff

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    #2
    Google will invalidate the clicks.
     
    digitalpoint, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  3. TonysDesigns

    TonysDesigns Member

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    #3
    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.


     
    TonysDesigns, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  4. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #4
    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?
     
    schlottke, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  5. sarahk

    sarahk iTamer Staff

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    #5
    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
     
    sarahk, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  6. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #6
    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..
     
    schlottke, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  7. TonysDesigns

    TonysDesigns Member

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    #7
    With the tracking script I have here



     
    TonysDesigns, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  8. nevetS

    nevetS Evolving Dragon

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    #8
    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.
     
    nevetS, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  9. TonysDesigns

    TonysDesigns Member

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    #9
    D00D, this is plain russian roulette. If you are not making much on adsense, then you really have nothing to worry about.

     
    TonysDesigns, Nov 28, 2004 IP
  10. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #10
    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.
     
    schlottke, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  11. Weirfire

    Weirfire Language Translation Company

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    #11

    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.
     
    Weirfire, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  12. T0PS3O

    T0PS3O Feel Good PLC

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    #12
    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
     
    T0PS3O, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  13. boogle

    boogle Peon

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    #13
    From my experience this results in an account ban!!!
     
    boogle, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  14. Weirfire

    Weirfire Language Translation Company

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    #14
    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.
     
    Weirfire, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  15. NewComputer

    NewComputer Well-Known Member

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    #15
    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...
     
    NewComputer, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  16. melfan

    melfan Peon

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    #16
    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.
     
    melfan, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  17. NewComputer

    NewComputer Well-Known Member

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    #17
    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.
     
    NewComputer, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  18. TonysDesigns

    TonysDesigns Member

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    #18
    That is right. Should NOT be done ever



     
    TonysDesigns, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  19. johncr

    johncr Peon

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    #19
    That's why Google offers the Preview Tool
     
    johncr, Nov 29, 2004 IP
  20. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #20
    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.
     
    schlottke, Nov 29, 2004 IP