Falsely claiming ownership of websites/blogs

[caran1]

We find that certain scammers are falsely claiming my websites as theirs and adding them to different ad networks. Unfortunately, the ad networks are refusing to reveal the identity of the scammers so that legal action can be taken.
Why are the ad networks so keen to protect the identity of the scammer?

[httpwebwitch]

The conspiracy theorist in me suspects that the scammers are the ad networks themselves.

OK that's unlikely, but you have to wonder.

[LifeinAsia]

I think I'm missing something here... Why would a scammer buy advertising for your site?

What have you done to try to get the identity of the scammer? (Ask the networks politely?) The networks are obviously getting money, so they're most likely not going to do anything they don't have to do.

If you're serious about taking action, hire a lawyer and get a subpoena. Faced with real legal action (and penalties if they don't comply), the networks will probably give up the goods pretty quickly at that point.

[caran1]

The scammer is not buying advertising for my sites, they are trying to sell advertising on my sites, without my knowledge or permission. This is happening repeatedly, which is the reason why I am looking for a permanent solution.
Have asked the networks , but they say that this information is private. For the ad network, it does not matter who the publisher / webmaster is,they will earn the same money. However, the domain registrant who pays the web hosting fees and other website expenses, should be correctly identified by the ad network as he/she/they are the owners of the website, entitled to advertising revenue.
Do you have any experience in getting a subpoena? If yes, please share.

[LifeinAsia]

they are trying to sell advertising on my sites, without my knowledge or permission.

Actually, if you are displaying ads from a network, you are pretty much implicitly giving permission for anyone in that network to advertise on your site.

The networks should have some sort of tool to allow you to block certain ads/advertisers. If not, it's time to drop them and go with a different network that has entered the 21st century.

However, the domain registrant who pays the web hosting fees and other website expenses, should be correctly identified by the ad network as he/she/they are the owners of the website, entitled to advertising revenue.

Maybe I'm still missing, but if the ads are showing on your site- you are getting the associated revenue from the network. If the ad network is not paying revenue according to the sites where the ads actually show, then it's definitely time to drop that network!

No direct experience getting a subpoena- your lawyer would handle all that.

[caran1]

@LifeinAsia, unfortunately you fail to understand the problem.
I pay all the expenses for the website - domain registration, webhosting, content, the scammer pays nothing and earns money from the ad network by hacking into my website and adding his/her code.

Would you like it if all the advertising revenue from your websites was sent to an unknown person/company without your knowledge or permission?

[LifeinAsia]

unfortunately you fail to understand the problem.

Um, perhaps because you didn't explain the problem properly? :)

scammer pays nothing and earns money from the ad network by hacking into my website and adding his/her code.

You never mentioned anything about being hacked before this. That's a completely different issue.

At this point, your first priority should be locking down your website, finding out how and where your were hacked (and fixing that hole, as well as any others), and removing the hacked code.

You can talk to the police (best if you can show how much revenue you lost until you fixed the problem- shows that there's an actual loss of money involved). If the police decide not to go forward, you can talk to a lawyer about the issue. In either case, your chances for recovering money depend on your local laws, the location of the ad networks, the location of the hackers, and the willingness of your local police/lawyers.

[bwnbwn]

Hacking means it has happend before so as LifeinAsia said why worry about the ones placing the ads fix your holes and that should be it. Police will look at ya and say what, fix your site/server/host whatever is the problem.
They can claim ownership of your domain by placing their code on your hacked site and getting it verified. BTW they can do the same in Google webmastertools section and really cause you some poblems. Fix the holes, story over.

[caran1]

Fixing the holes is not easy as the hackers use packet sniffers /virtualization to claim ownership of the website.

[jecasc]

Unfortunately, the ad networks are refusing to reveal the identity of the scammers so that legal action can be taken.
Why are the ad networks so keen to protect the identity of the scammer?

Ahem. Not to be rude but - but where are you living? In 19th century Dodge City were people take the law in their own hands?

It is simply illegal for businesses to disclose any information to third parties without a court order or a request from law enforcement authorities.

If I called you and said - some user of your service is violating my rights, please give me his name and address - would you comply? And risk getting sued for breach of privacy laws - and if the request was simple social engineering to get personal information - be liable for the damage that has been caused by you disclosing the information? I think not.

So if you want the information you have no choice to either get a court order yourself or to involve the proper authorities.

Or forget about it. Nobody in his right mind will ever disclose such information to you just because your requested it.

You are simply doing it the wrong way: First you have to take legal action, then the networks will have to disclose the information, then you can go after the scammer.

[not2easy]

Fixing the holes is not easy as the hackers use packet sniffers /virtualization to claim ownership of the website.

It is your responsibility to do the work to secure your site or you could have FAR worse problems than a little lost ad revenue.

If hackers are able to place ads on your site, they are also able to place anything on your site, divert your traffic, infect your visitors (and your) machines. When that happens your site gets removed from the index and you can read many sad stories from others about how much trouble that is.

It does not matter how your site was compromised, it is up to you to fix the problem. Read here on the forum, use the Search, ask for help with the real issues and you can fix this problem at the same time.