Google Malware Detection Errors

Problems getting Google to fix malware claims

[Silicon]

Google has apparently come up with a new way to get rid advertisers. My theory in this case is they do it as a favor to big players to hurt smaller advertisers that are ramping up their spend (as I was doing).

Despite my site being clean on Google's own public facing malware tool, and no notifications in webmaster tools, they claim my site has malware. I have also used dozens of other detectors, which all report my site being clean. I have a small website and have checked everything by hand as well.

Google claims they are using a special tool, but they give no helpful information.

I try to call, but my advertiser code triggers the 'we can't help you because of covid'. Interesting how they only know they can't help me after I'm required to enter my advertising code.

I started a chat, and the operator couldn't figure it out, so he asked me to appeal the ad rejection again. He said it doesn't matter if you have done it already. let them reject it for a 2nd time and then they could help me. I said that doesn't make any sense, but reluctantly did it anyway because he wasn't moving forward.

Anyone have experience with the ambiguous malware cloud?

[Silicon]

An Update: So after days of wrestling with this,they called me and confirmed my site is clean and removed the malware restriction on all ads.

[buckworks]

I'm glad the problem is sorted. Google can be crazy-making to deal with so it's good you were persistent.

>> do it as a favor to big players

I highly doubt that was the reason. Google has every reason to encourage advertisers to grow, and no reason to discourage reputable advertisers from boosting their ad spend.

Chalk it up to a glitch, not persecution. :)

[Brett_Tabke]

Someone reported one of our sites to google as having "malware" on it. Truth was, someone was using a old redirect of ours to direct traffic to #*$! sites.

I was shocked when I got the email from Google (the registrar) saying they were going to suspend the domain. Google wanted me to do all these site scans and send them the results. It took some explaining that those sites were not configured to allow bots of any kind (including Googles) and after a ton of back-n-forth, it got resolved.

While all that was going on, I got an email from my host LiquidWeb that alleged we were reported for distributing malware and we had rogue cgi scripts running. They turned off that cpanel account. I calmly explained to them that it was a redirect and the site RUNS on those cgi scripts.

It took about 3 weeks to get straightened out.

The results? Notice WebmasterWorld is no longer on LW after 11 years and I am never registering another domain at Google again (even though I think they are the current webs best at it)