Forum Moderators: martinibuster
I just received an email from a recent contact who said he just clicked on every ad on my site, as a favor! He had been asking my advice on my business and my site and I mentioned advertising costs and revenue possibilities. I did not instruct him to click randomly or continuously - in fact I didn't ask him to click at all. I simply explained how AdSense worked, among other things, like AdWords.
I have not yet received the dreaded invalid clicks letter, but needless to say, I'm worried I may.
I don't get a lot of traffic or daily clicks, but I am wondering, if I do get the dreaded letter, would I be able to plead my case by showing Google his email correspondence? Also, is there a built-in limit of # of clicks from one IP address, or a timing system of some sort, that AdSense uses - to cut down on click fraud? (If not, there should be). Thanks for any advice.
Well, you still have the possibility to turn this event in the right direction. Email AdSense support before they email you about that issue. Ask them to substract the clicks from your account. If you wait until you receive the invalid clicks email, you are probably too late.
I don't know if this contact lives in the same area as you, because in that case you will have a very hard time convincing AdSense that you weren't involved in the invalid clicking.
The contact lives on another continent, so in that sense, I may get off lucky.
They have software running that checks continuously all clicks on ads for fraudulous patterns. If you say that you only see 5 clicks in your stats where there should be 30, that software has already detected the strange click pattern and marked these clicks for further investigation. Then its a matter of time before you receive the dreaded email.
So you need to be in a hurry. Email them before they mail you!
Also of note is that the impressions continue (so far) to accumulate beyond the clicks, so if my account is flagged, then you'd think the impressions would be suspended since clicks and impressions are part of the same program (admittedly I am theorizing there). But no use taking any chances. I just emailed AdSense, saying that I am fully aware that there may be invalid clicking on my account and to remove the 5 clicks.
Done - wish me luck!
Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 10): 553 5.5.3 <adsense@google.com>... Invalid
Are you sure about the email address? I am now going to try the form in the suppport page.
As I said, when the first one bounced back, I used the web form under the "Other" category to send AdSense an email. No response as yet from Google - one way or other. In the meantime, other clicks continue as do impressions. So maybe I haven't been flagged afterall. And maybe they will overlook the 5 bogus clicks, on account of my honesty. Maybe...
the other member was just saying "those" click have been flagged and will be looked at some point in the future.
my own opinion is that this type of "click fraud" is the easiest for G to see through. One site user with one IP number goes click-happy either out of boredom or malice.
