Forum Moderators: martinibuster
(in short, they've disabled my account because of "Invalid Clicks", but won't tell me what those clicks stemmed from at all. They also claim to have sent me an email in November, though I never did receive it...)
Now, I'm just trying to get to talk to an actual person regarding my AdSense account to understand why they disabled my account, but they won't go beyond "Invalid Clicks" in explaining it. Essentially, they're blowing off my complaint that I never received a previous email, and won't give me any additional info so I can figure out what the "Invalid Clicks" were--and if i'm not told where the "Invalid Clicks" stemmed from, how am I to combat this problem?
Ultimately, their email customer service leaves much to be desired. They are brash, brief, and unhelpful. At this point I don't expect to get my account reinstated... but as their communication with me has been unprofessional, I'm philosophically more intent on reaching a real person there now so I get the treatment I as a "paying" customer of adsense deserves.
Has anyone else had problems with their customer service?
FYI, my emails to them have been courteous, explanatory, and professional. I've made no accusations, no brazen remarks, or borderline assumptions. I've stuck to the facts. I would think my site is large enough for them to take note of (200,000 daily page views)--but I have no idea what flagged it as a violater.
The only times I have heard anything negative is when some publisher's emails from Google are automatically filtered by their ISPs (so Google sends the email, but the publisher's email blocks the receipt of it), or when a form letter is sent as a reply, which neccessitates a followup email by the publisher.
The other times have all been by suspended publishers who complain about the lack of reasons given on what the fraudulent clicks were.
AdSenseAdvisor already responded to why they do not give any further information on invalid clicks here:
[webmasterworld.com...] msg # 19 Other ad networks do the same thing. As ASA said: "Unfortunately, this is a necessity - we can't make this sort of information available without helping some people to develop ways to try and fool our systems."
If you have sent them any further information (ie. stats for the period in question or possibilities of why it seems these clicks were fraudulent) then I would suggest moving on to another ad network.
This is really disturbing because if any of us have an infraction that would normally result in a warning if it was the first infraction, but upon the second infraction we were terminated because we didn't respond to the "November email" that we never received, there could be a lot of publishers skating on thin ice with no knowledge of that.
Very troubling...
In any case, I agree that some kind of backup warning would be a good idea. I delete dozens of spam emails a day unread, and I have nightmares about killing an important message by mistake.
Having the warning post to your control panel is a great idea! I'll go ahead and email that to them :).
I have gone on to another ad network now (AdSonar beta program), but I am continuing my complaint on a principle level.
A few people have made mention that they can't receive emails from Google, but these are usually in response to not receiving their initial email when applying for AdSense. Perhaps Google is assuming if a publisher receives an initial email, they should receive all subsequent ones. And this again is something that could be abused by fraudulent publishers to receive second chances by claiming they have not received the first warning email - I am not saying this is what byrhtnoth has done, but I am sure it has been done.
[webmasterworld.com...]
But what would they do while waiting for your acknowledgement? Show PSAs?
But what would they do while waiting for your acknowledgement? Show PSAs?
No, you just wouldn't be able to access any other area in your account. If you don't respond to their request after a certain length of time, depending on the nature of the issue, then your account would be subject to termination as it is now.
Providing this in the control panel wouldn't change how they enforce their rules. It would just insure that the publisher received their communication.
Showing PSAs or alternative banners would be a good stop gap measure.
Much too harsh. Give the publisher a reasonable amount of time to respond.
Give the publisher a reasonable amount of time to respond.
Perhaps once they get a little competition they'll stop acting so draconian.
Setup a unique email account you don't use anywhere else for adsense and other critical business and then just never filter it.
Unfortunately, it's a bit late for that since Google will not allow you to change the email address on your AdSense account.
BTW the address I gave to ComputerWorld is one that is going bad. I never did get a free magazine subscription from them, but they sure saw fit to stick me on all kinds of subscription newsletters. I've unsubscribed several times, but the messages just keep coming. I'll start bouncing the email address I gave them next time I log in to my web hosting control panel.
NEVER EVER use a spam filter on a business account, that's just plain crazy. Setup a unique email account you don't use anywhere else for adsense and other critical business and then just never filter it.
And it's just plain crazy for Google to send only one letter of violation without requiring any sort of verification of receipt. I already have a few other email addresses I'm required to check for my business--adding one more isn't exactly something I'd want to do.
