Google's Take on Click Fraud

If you use Google AdWords, Overture, or other pay-per-click companies to generate web traffic, be warned. You could be the victim of a click fraud scam!

How does Google respond to someone who suspects click fraud? Monik Robichaud, a Biogram and Stretch Letter Puzzle Publisher, http://www.lulu.com/quotagrams recently found out. She was billed $65.00 for AdWords clicks and didn't receive a single order.

Monik e-mailed Google asking whether any of the charges could have resulted from click fraud. Here's what Google had to say.

"Google's proprietary technology analyzes clicks to determine whether they fit a pattern of fraudulent use intended to artificially drive up an advertiser's clicks or a publisher's earnings. Our system automatically distinguishes between clicks generated through normal use by users and clicks generated by unethical users and automated robots, enabling us to filter out fraudulent clicks. Advertisers are not charged for these clicks.

Google added that people concerned about click fraud, should add tracking URL's.

Although Google will credit you for charges resulting from click fraud, proving click fraud beyond what the systems in place at Google already look for requires some work.

If you suspect click fraud, go through your server's log files and look for multiple "hits" or entries from the same IP Addresses. Also, embed tracking URL's to prove when clicks are coming from Google, or your pay-per-click vendor.

If you suspect fraud, report it, and provide any information that will prove it to your pay-per-click vendor.