Am I in trouble?

[willmullis]

I think I may have really goofed up with my AdSense account. The other day I was at visiting my parents and got online to log into my account to see how much I had earned for that day. I didn't even think about the fact that my father gets on my site daily and may have clicked on an ad(he doesn't remember if he did or not). Anyway I am now afraid that I will be booted out of the program because they seen me log into my account on the same computer that a click may have come from.

You guys think I might get booted? Is there anything I can do before hand to make sure that I dont?

BTW this is my first post, but have been reading through this site for quite some time.

[Rumbas]

I think you're ok. It's only one click..

However should you get in trouble, plead the same case as you just did here. They will probably accept that and let you "stay in business".

..but as Jenstar wrote somewhere a while ago: "Don't ever click your own ads, never ever!

[xcandyman]

I don't think he cliked on the ad just logged into his account... Is this true willmullis?

[willmullis]

Yea that was dumb of me to log into my account on another computer. I didn't even consider that my father may have clicked on an ad. Hopefully it all works out, so far I am happy with the AdSense program.

[europeforvisitors]

Yea that was dumb of me to log into my account on another computer.

No, it wasn't; it was a perfectly normal thing to do.

[HughMungus]

When in doubt, email adsense.

I've clicked on my ads at least five times now. Just a few weeks ago twice in one day. I emailed adsense every time and got the standard reply, but, the key to me is that it's been noted by both of us that there were what they might consider "fraudulent clicks". From what I've read here on WW, I really believe that errant clicks are only a problem if it causes them to take a closer look at your website and they see something they don't like beyond just someone on the same IP as you use to check your stats clicking on an ad.

[Macro]

On this occasion I'll beg to differ with EFV.

There is no harm in playing safe.

[Sanenet]

I'm with EFV on this one - you can take paranoia too far! One, two, ten false clicks out of, say, 500 or 1000 a month is not going to start alarm bells.

[yoyo1]

The thing is, it's not whether he clicked on his own ads; the issue is, did (or will) his father (and other family member in that household) click on his ads, for whatever reason.

[Macro]

Exactly, it may not normally matter how often they click - Google may see it as a third party clicking and/or discount some clicks from that IP. Log in to your stats from there and it's suddenly a different matter. It's not a third party anymore - it's publisher created fraudulent clicks.

[willmullis]

I just sent a message to Google trying my best to explain the situation, just in case. I may be paranoid but I have read countless times "Never click on your own ads, not even once". While I didn't click on my own ad my family may have on a computer I used to log in with.

I would say if he clicked on one, it would be once, twice max.

[Redfisher]

I wouldn't worry too much. You'll get the boilerplate letter back in a few days from google. I think they understand mistakes happen and you are not trying to defraud them.

For some reason my touchpad on my laptop reverted to "tap to click" and I didn't realize what was happening until I click on two of my ads. At the time I was trying to block URL's and was mousing over to see the URL's. I sent them an email saying what happened and which ad I clicked.

[Macro]

Contacting Google with an apology never hurt anyone AFAIK. I believe you'll retain your account.

[Never_again]

I'm with EFV on this one - you can take paranoia too far!

Exactly. An IP address is just one of many data that Google must use to determine click fraud and there has been no evidence that anyone has every had their account closed because of the computer they used to check their stats.

Simple solutions is to just ask them never to click on any AdSense ad on your site and why it would be bad to do so.

[TNJed]

LOL Well, there goes my whole plan for being able to travel while working on my sites and adsense account. Yes, Google has created a system that requires you to stay home. LOL