Invalid Clicks on Google Adsense - Help!

[rcd01]

I received an email from google stating my account is in violation of invalid clicks. I don't click on my own ads nor do I tell others to do so. They say the next time I am in violation they will cancel my account - what do I do since I am not the cause?

Google email:

It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the ads on your web pages.

As a reminder, any method of generating invalid clicks is strictly
prohibited. Invalid clicks include but are not limited to any clicks
that are generated through the use of robots, automated clicking tools,
manual clicks by a publisher on the publisher's own web pages, or a
publisher encouraging others to click on his ads.

Publishers may not provide incentives of any kind to encourage or
require users to click on the ads, due to the potential for inflation
of advertiser costs. If we find your account to be in violation again,
action may be taken against your account and payment may be withheld.
Please be sure to review and remain in compliance with our Terms and
Conditions and program policies:

[JakeCop]

Ooh, I didn't know they even warned about it, I thought they just closed accounts willy nilly.

[r2d2]

Originally Posted by JakeCop

Ooh, I didn't know they even warned about it, I thought they just closed accounts willy nilly.

I guess it maybe depends if you have a year+ of 'being good' or are a new to Adsense.

[SlitheryImp]

Well, this isn't clickfraud, but you've got "Ads by Google" and "Ads bij Kanoodle" on top of each other on the first two sites in your sig.

That's a definite breach of TOS.

[MikeBigg]

Originally Posted by SlitheryImp

Well, this isn't clickfraud, but you've got "Ads by Google" and "Ads bij Kanoodle" on top of each other on the first two sites in your sig.

Twice ... top and bottom ... that's another violation that can have an account suspended in a flash.

Mike

[nitroy2k]

i lost 2000$ and i also dont know what happend if only they gave me a chance

Maybe sombody is clicking on your ads like hell

[scotlandforvisit]

Originally Posted by rcd01

I received an email from google stating my account is in violation of invalid clicks. I don't click on my own ads nor do I tell others to do so. They say the next time I am in violation they will cancel my account - what do I do since I am not the cause?

Google email:

First thing I would do is take your ads off the site. Then e-mail google politely asking them what is the best course of action for you to take. They will at least see then that you are trying. You might have to install some form of adsense click monitoring software (do a search on google)

[MARK Online]

humm yes as google warns u first. so u should take advantage of that.

[codejunkie]

That's why I stoped putting my sites in my sig a long time ago.

[Nintendo]

Originally Posted by MARK Online

humm yes as google warns u first.

That's only if you are extremely lucky. 99.99999% of the time they just dump you! That's the first time I've ever seen Google give out a warning first!

[charmedlover]

I agree. I've heard so many sad stories about people who have been ban from AdSense in their first week because of invalid clicks. I don't think that Google should be so harsh, and it looks like they're starting to lighten up. Maybe because they want more revenue

[rcd01]

I have removed my Ads on the forums and will email them

[timhodgson]

I love how Google will complain when Adsense is having click fraud, but not when your own Adwords campaign is having click fraud!

[tke71709]

Every adsense campaign that is experiencing click fraud is someone's adword campaign so your statement contradicts itself.

[Dan Grossman]

Originally Posted by timhodgson

I love how Google will complain when Adsense is having click fraud, but not when your own Adwords campaign is having click fraud!

I assumed that was the reason for these adjustments I automatically receive every single month on my AdWords account:

http://www.picvault.info/images/120476_adwords.png

[LiquidReflex]

Originally Posted by Dan Grossman

I assumed that was the reason for these adjustments I automatically receive every single month on my AdWords account:

http://www.picvault.info/images/120476_adwords.png

Not necessarily. They can be from invalid clicks but they can also come from overdelivery from Google. If you have a $10 per month budget set, Google can send as much traffic to you while staying within that amount plus 20%. So, if they deliver you more traffic that costs you $15, they will charge you the $15 and then credit you $3 (20% of $10 = $2, thus $12 is their max for your budget).

[Dan Grossman]

Originally Posted by LiquidReflex

Not necessarily. They can be from invalid clicks but they can also come from overdelivery from Google. If you have a $10 per month budget set, Google can send as much traffic to you while staying within that amount plus 20%. So, if they deliver you more traffic that costs you $15, they will charge you the $15 and then credit you $3 (20% of $10 = $2, thus $12 is their max for your budget).

It's not that, as Google has never reached my budget in any campaign. I can set it to $100,000 and some months they'll still only be able to send me $500 in clicks. Limited by the amount of traffic reaching my keyword list, and in some cases my CPC.

[LiquidReflex]

Originally Posted by Dan Grossman

It's not that, as Google has never reached my budget in any campaign. I can set it to $100,000 and some months they'll still only be able to send me $500 in clicks. Limited by the amount of traffic reaching my keyword list, and in some cases my CPC.

Interesting. Then maybe those are for invalid clicks. I do wish Google would specify what each credit is for as that would provide some valuable information and (if you feel you are receiving invalid clicks) give you the knowledge that Google is monitoring it and responding. It would provide piece-of-mind at least.

[marcel]

RCD, what did you eventually replace Adsense with ?

[Inf1nity]

generated through the use of robots, automated clicking tools,

Competition from other sites can result in these forms of attacks. If a competitor you have doesn't want you around anymore, they attack your source of revenue to shut you down. To do so, they set a bot to click on your ads which in turn has your adsense account closed. Best thing to do is email them your suspicions to ensure you're doing your best to keep clicks clean. Depending on how you approach the situation will result on their willingness to work with you.

[markov]

I think writing to them is the only answer to avoid the ban.

[asprookie]

Competition from other sites can result in these forms of attacks. If a competitor you have doesn't want you around anymore, they attack your source of revenue to shut you down. To do so, they set a bot to click on your ads

Aren't bots not supposed to take cookies, even less javascript? Thought bots bypassed javascript? without javascript, the ads don't show...

If I'm wrong, please tell me so.

[Dan Grossman]

Originally Posted by asprookie

Aren't bots not supposed to take cookies, even less javascript? Thought bots bypassed javascript? without javascript, the ads don't show...

If I'm wrong, please tell me so.

Bots are software. Web browsers are software. Web browsers interpret and execute JavaScript and accept cookies. Therebore bots can do so too.

But they don't need to for this. All someone would need to do is copy and paste a few of the URLs from your site.

[asprookie]

All someone would need to do is copy and paste a few of the URLs from your site.

Thank you Dan! your autoritative insight is always appreciated from myself and all readers of this forum.

Ok! I'm trying to understand,

Do you mean URL's in the same vein as this, cause i do see plenty of them

suckersite.com/thatcategory/?mysite.com/myarticle.htm

New to adsense, but my website is a few years old already, so eventually I might get a few unwanted visits from these sucker sites.