Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I work in a large call centre with about 1400 others from many different nationalities. As we are all foreigners here, and unfamiliar with how things work and where to find them, I decided to set up a simple portal like site, with handy links, news etc. and also Google adsense.
I've been showing this site to colleagues, and it is slowly being used by more and more of them.
The problem is that we all access the internet through a proxy server, so, when I check my adsense stats or update my site during breaks, the ip doing this is the same as the one doing the clicking on the ads.
could this be a problem?
could this be a problem?
Yes.
One of the simplest ways to detect click-fraud is to match the IP address of any control panel logins.
TJ
I'm really carefull about not clicking the ads, I even have to think twice about clicking Google ads on other sites, lol...
I think I'll send G an email, or would that not be wise?
So, I suppose it's too late to stop checking my stats now.
Probably I'm afraid, yes.
I think I'll send G an email, or would that not be wise?
That might not hurt, although the safest bet would probably be to pull AdSense from this particular site and then email them explaining. At least you've shown some positive action.
I would expect the worst though.
TJ
So your checking stats on that IP address is not nearly the problem that clicks coming from one IP address is. And then the fact that that IP address is the same as yours, well, that's the death blow if there was any doubt.
Google knows 23mil AOL dialup subscribers would be using proxy server as well.
Presumably Google would also know that IP range?
I suppose if an IP is known to be a proxy it would make it less of a cut and dry issue.
I would still expect the worst.
<Added>And as diamondgrl rightly points out....</Added>
TJ
Be proactive! You might get banned but you will get banned anyway.
It's only a new site, 6 weeks old, and the G revenue is only at 30 bucks so far, so it's no big deal to lose it.
But, I am working hard on making it a succesful portal for foreigners here, and wouldn't like to lose an account if it did succeed in generating some decent cash.
When you look at what info gets sent to the Googleplex, the thing in that long list that took me aback was that they look at the length of the browser history array (not the contents, just the length). I would imagine that they have very detailed stats on what's the expected distribution of values they get in that datum, and most of the invalid clicks that were truly fraud would exhibit a pattern that would deviate wildly.
I think this is one of the urban myths.
I agree. I’m sure it is one of many factors, but what evidence is there that Google uses the account owners IP address as a primary indicator of owner click fraud? None that I know of. I think we are being to paranoid.
Can't you block Adsense from showing to certain IP's? If not, I would make a separate site w/ no Adsense for your co-workers/employees to use.
Yes, maybe that would be possible, but because this is an targeted information site, the ads are quite usefull to the visitors. It's almost like added content I don't have to work for, and it pays as well. win/win :)
<edit> That's actually why I first put Adsense on the site, as extra information. After the first week I had $3 which covered my hosting fees for the month, it might be small change to the most of you, but I was chuffed </edit>
Um...considering your website probably fails to clear the $100 minimum, I dont see why you have a problem since you probably wont make any money with the adsense program anyway..
That's not really the point, even if I only get only one cheque a year for $100, my hosting costs would be covered and I'd have some cash left over for a few beers :), But I'm also working hard on promoting the site with other multinational companies here, so hopefully the site will grow.
Secondly, for many years insurance companies have used statistics, pattern matching and other techinques to catch fraud. Notice 'pattern matching', that is exactly what Google does, so I bet Google's fraud detection is way more complex than the methods people suggest in these forums.
Me? I would stop showing work people the site and stop talking about it at work.
I do my web work in an area with a large hotspot that covers a public library, a middle school and al of the surrounding green space.
There are very few IP addresses and the one that was apparently attached to my AdSense account was one of the IP's used by the hotspot.
Google just suspended me (pending review) because of the typical invalid click issue so I spoke with the networking guru and he spoke with Cox Cable the ISP.
She says that given that Google can not block the IP attached to my AdSense account it is possible that they really think something is going wrong when in fact it is not.
I have suggested to Google that they implement IP blocking specifically for the account's IP and maybe even for any IP that exceeds their algorithm's limit.
Why does Google not implement such a feature so that we do not have to worry about others doing things to our sites that result in a suspension?
They are smart enough to do that aren't they?
Now that the new referral program is moving forward won't there be even more AdSense sites and many more potential problems and given that someone at Google is researching my issue aren't they wasting a lot of time and money when they could just program around suspicious IP's?
As for me, I would ask google to be able to self-ban any click from my provider's IP range or even my local town, so avoiding that any click from my wife, children, neighbours, friends, etc. that may visit my site by chance click on ad.
I would sleep better, regardless I may loss valid clicks.
