Strange Adsense Ads

URL Says One Address and Title Link goes Elsewhere

[eddieh]

Been working on one of my sites today and every so often when I check the various pages, I have been noticing this annoying (and off topic) ad appearing to do with Anti Wrinkle Skin Care and/or the 55 year old Mum who looks 35 or words to that effect.

Have seen this ad and variations thereof for the past month or so but to get around it, I have been putting the URL's in the block ads list. Strangely enough, the URL's all went off to various and well known UK newspapers.

Today however, the same ad appeared but with the URL showing as news.bbc.co.uk/wrinkles. Needless to say, that URL returns a 404 on the BBC site. The ad title goes elsewhere - somebody called trackmyprofits

It seems to me that whoever is placing these ads is using a variety of well known names (BBC, UK newspapers etc) in the URL and yet sending anybody who clicks on the ad to somewhere totally different.

I am wondering how and why G are allowing this to happen or even if they know about it at all. Doesn't seem a very ethical way to advertise - at least not in my books.

[Lame_Wolf]

I had one that was "4 drinks to never consume" They kept targeting my site. Each week I would block them. Eventually, I used the "report issue". Those adverts have since ceased.

However, they are now doing it with "5 foods to never eat". I have blocked them, but if they appear again, they will be reported again to Google.

[nomis5]

I think this has been ocuring for a couple of months to my knowledge.

It's so apallingly misleading showing one url but directing you to another. It's just another example of google overstepping the mark by miles. But I haven't complained to them because it's not an error, Google know it's happening, they allow it to happen and by taking money from the advertisers they are endorsing the technique.

The lesson i take from this type of behaviour is that if i can game them without being detected then I have the moral right to do so. In this case, two wrongs make nothing but plain business sense.

[eddieh]

It seems that it is only the title element of the ad - as in when you hover over the title or URL, that the false URL is being shown. The actual URL showing is also false. Just seen another '53 YR Old Mum Looks 30' that, according to the URL, goes off to the Independent newspaper.

The earlier one that shows the BBC url is 'Anti Wrinkle Skin Care' Local Mum Reveals Trick to Remove Wrinkles. Shocking Results Exposed!'. I have seen that one with a variety of url's, none of which are where the ad links off to.

I think I may have do a little reporting myself since, like you, as soon as I block one url, the same ads reappear with a different and false URL

[jbayabas]

Yup, i've seen that ad appear on my site a few times.

[HuskyPup]

Hmmmm...When I used AdWords, a few years back, Google told me immediately I published an advert that I could not use example.co.uk in the ad but point it to example.com even though I owned them both.

One rule for some and another for those with deep pockets I suppose?

[ken_b]

Are these image ads you guys are talking about? Or text ads too?

[eddieh]

>> Are these image ads you guys are talking about? Or text ads too?

In my case, they are text ads but since they are served through googleadservices.c*m, I would assume there are also image versions around as well.

I doubt the BBC would be too happy if they knew this was going on. I know from having dealt with them in the past that they are very protective of thier copyrights and trademarks