Got a threat email for shutting down adsense.

[signup1]

My friend got an email. IP is from proxy. Return address is fake. It asks him to shut down his website, or a DOS attack will be begin to bring down the server or drive up the bandwidth to a level unaffordable. Also an automatic click robot will start on adsense until being kicked out of adsense.

Anyone has dealt with this kind of "competitor will kill adsenes account" situation?

[flood6]

I don't have any experience with this specific kind of threat.

I would tell your friend to take this chance to double check the security of his site, notify his host of the threat so they can take any possible precautions, notify AdSense of the threat so they have it on record, and backup everything on the site.

It may just be an idle threat, but taking the opportunity to double-check the security measures and take a few extra precautions won't hurt.

[Sanenet]

I agree.

But he shouldn't over react at this point - if he starts making his host / adsense panicky, they may decide it's easier to just drop his account.

A simple forward to his host & adsense, informing them that he had received that email would suffice.

[anallawalla]

Don't do a "simple forward" but (depending on the email program) view and copy the full headers of that email, without which the forward is worthless. Unless the sender is clued up on using anon email gateways, it usually gives a clue as to the sending IP address.