scam like ads on Google & Y!.do you click on them?

and what are the ethics of it?

[walkman]

suppose you see an ad that you know it's a scam. Something like 'make $100 an hour doing x or y," and you got tons of spam from them or affiliates. Regular users might be inclined to fall for it, but a semi-experienced user does not.

Have you ever "checked their site out," :) and if so, is it bad to click when you really know you aren't going to fall for it? I'm curious

[Automan Empire]

If I *knew* a site was scammy, I'd be afraid to click on the link!

On the other hand, I once clicked a dozen times on this obnoxious ad. It opened about three screens below the fold, and was for some martial arts game. I went to this page and started reading, and suddenly the speakers burst forth with, "HWA! HUAAAH! (FWSSSSH!) HAH! HUAAAH! (Shiiinnnng!)" or some such. It would do this over and over. I clicked on it, hoping fradulent clicks would help it go away (from the net) all the sooner.
I don't know if it helped or hurt, but I felt mine was not the greater ethical lapse in play here.

[Marcia]

I don't click on the ads, but I do mouse over and go to the homepage. If it's scammy I hit the "ads by goooooogle" and bellyache about it, then put the URL on the filter. I also do that with "incentive" deals where it looks like they're doing nothing more than harvesting emails for sucker lists.

[Raymond]

Personally I don't really care if the other end is paying for my click. I am just another visitor who is interested in the link, whether or not I am interested in what they are selling. I am sure as long as I am not repeatedly clicking on their link, I am just a statistic for their conversion rate calculation.