Online fraud artists click to steal

Wash Post on Click fraud

[walkman]

[msnbc.msn.com...]
"Auctions Expert allegedly recruited as many as 50 people to click on online advertising, generating about $50,000 in ad revenue. The self-clicking was "worthless to advertisers, but generated significant and unjust revenue for defendants," the Google lawsuit said."

"Google is notorious for just flat out ignoring advertisers," Stricchiola said. "Google says, 'Thank you for your inquiry. We see no problem.' "

[beren]

"Google is notorious for just flat out ignoring advertisers," Stricchiola said. "Google says, 'Thank you for your inquiry. We see no problem.' "

Well that's certainly true, both in my experience managing several accounts and from what I read from others around Webmasterworld.

Why do we put up with it? I guess because the legitimate clicks are so valuable that we're willing to swallow a lot of fraud. And Google knows it.

This lawsuit was filed by Google, and they may think it will be a warning to other organized fraud rings, as well as good publicity for AdWords (we're protecting you). But as this story makes clear, whenever you bring up the topic of fraud, Google is going to come in for a lot of criticism.