Forum Moderators: martinibuster
As an uptight AdWords customer who wants to maximize my conversions, this kind of stuff ticks me off. I've already sent an email to Google about this. Do I also express my dissatisfaction about this fraudulent move with the site owner? What about links I have from my site to the forum -- should those be nuked? What are your opinions?
Here's the email the forum admin sent:
<text of email forum admin requesting members to click on ads removed>
[edited by: rogerd at 2:45 pm (utc) on Oct. 8, 2005]
[edit reason] No e-mail quotes per TOS, please [/edit]
Second, we all should quickly report and TOS violation. If the advertisers or adwords uses don't make any money anymore because of the violations, they program will not succeed and will stop.
What are we going to do after that.
Keepin Adsense smooth and clean is in all of our interest.
Here is another excellent example of Global Economy.
Even though I'm not an Adsense publisher, I wouldn't link to, or promote in any other manner, a site after the site sent out a plea to defraud advertisers. Why promote such a site once you know how little regard the site holds for others involved in the web?
[edited by: kevinpate at 9:59 pm (utc) on Oct. 7, 2005]
I'd turn him over to AdSense abuse so fast it would make your head spin.
As an uptight AdWords customer who wants to maximize my conversions, this kind of stuff ticks me off. I've already sent an email to Google about this. Do I also express my dissatisfaction about this fraudulent move with the site owner? What about links I have from my site to the forum -- should those be nuked? What are your opinions?
In a way, having reported it to Google it's rather out of your hands now. In all likelihood they will terminate the account soon.
I wouldn't notify the admin, as they are likely to want some revenge on you for effectively stopping their revenue source.
If the links to the other site go to good content you may want to keep them. I probably wouldn't cut links if the site was useful to my visitors. The way they handle their advertising is an issue that's separate from the site content. Having had their account terminated will be enough - I'd leave it at that personally.
It's possible to forge emails quite convincingly. That's probably not what happened, but at least the webmaster won't be able to CLAIM that's what happened.
I'm inclined right now to just go away.
I just realized, incidentally, that I violated WebmasterWorld TOS by posting an excerpt of an email. I forgot about that rule.
You've done the right thing in reporting this person to Google.
However, I don't think you should feel obligated to take the additional actions you've asked about. And whereas your report to Google is confidential, the above actions would identify you as the person who notified them.
That could potentially expose you to some retaliation, unnecessarily. If I were you, I'd just monitor the situation to make sure it is followed up by Google, but take no further action.
would you get onto the forum owner's case about it personally, or just let Google deal with it?
I'd walk away because the next email this 12 year old sends could be telling all his buddies to click you out of business, of mail bomb your email address, or who knows.
I wouldn't risk it unless you do it from a free email address using an alias ;)
I would also nuke the links as you might be seen as linking to "bad neighborhood" or associated with a banned site.
Just wouldn't knowingly take the chance.
Just my 2 cents.
Ann
We've all been told the domain is banned as well as the user.
I have recently spotted a site which is copying content from several sites. I plan to report him soon - Not only to adsense but to search engines too.
U never know when he would visit our/your site & steal content. This will make him realize stealing content is TOS violation.
I agree with all above that you did the right thing reporting the perp to adsense/adwords.
Now, if I were you, I'd stand aside and watch.
Do NOT identify yourself to the perp. You are under no obligation to do so.
The guy is WAY out of TOS. Its his fault, not yours.
I think you will be forgiven for quoting his idiotic message.
-Larry
I like to see this kind of people in jail.
[edited by: rogerd at 2:57 pm (utc) on Oct. 8, 2005]
[edited by: rogerd at 2:57 pm (utc) on Oct. 8, 2005]
Adwords has similiar blocks for capitalised words and other no-nos.
Nice find.
He won't have his AS account much longer.
I hope he earned a ton of money this month and doesn't get a dime (or, in this case, 10 pence).
Ann
The reason is ,if it really came from the forum owner, then he / she must be banned , but if someone tries to kick off the forum owner, it would really affect him / her.
There are so many persons in this world who are much interested to kick off others than doing their own job.
This is a very good point, and a strong reason for the OP not to take any further action other than report to Google (not even remove the links, I would suggest, as this could provide a strong clue as to who reported the problem).
However, such individuals will not go unpunished, if caught, as this is something the authorities are getting tougher on. For example, yesterday in the UK a couple of bright computer whizzkids were sentenced to 9 months between them for "playing online", and thereby creating a virus that brought them no financial gain - see:
[news.bbc.co.uk...]
This reflects a tougher stance that the UK authorities are taking with cyber criminals.
[news.bbc.co.uk...]
Chris is broke because he is one big idiot.
I will be interested to see how long his life saving ads last on the ugly green page.
