It has come to our attention that invalid clicks have been generated on
the Google ads on your site(s). We have therefore disabled your Google
AdSense account. Please understand that this step was taken in an
effort to protect the interest of the AdWords advertisers.


A publisher's site may not have invalid clicks on any ad(s), including
but not limited to clicks generated by:


- a publisher on his own web pages
- a publisher encouraging others to click on his ads
- automated clicking programs or any other deceptive software
- a publisher altering any portion of the ad code or changing the
layout, behavior, targeting, or delivery of ads for any reason


Practices such as these are in violation of the Google AdSense Terms
and Conditions and program polices, which can be viewed at:


https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en_US
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies?hl=en_US


Publishers disabled for invalid click activity are not allowed further
participation in AdSense and do not receive any further payment. The
earnings on your account will be properly returned to the affected
advertisers.


Sincerely,


The Google AdSense Team

I am shocked. I have been promoting google for 6 months. No problem. No traffic fluctuation. Nothing. Suddenly this?

Why?

I'm thinking there needs to be a "My Google Account was Disabled WTF" forum, hehe.

Not to make light of your situation joko, it just seems to be a common occurance... well, not a common occurance, but a commonly posted about occurance.

Bummer to hear.

What should I do?

I just sent this through their web service

I had no clear idea yet. I have many websites promoted with different ways. Don't know which one is problematic.

I've seen many websites in
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=disabled+google+adsense

to see why you do this.

Look, I know you have to protect your advertiser. I know that you get sued a lot by advertisers, which should have just bought ads somewhere else.

I also know that I don't fraud you, but cheaters would have said that too.

You too know that many webmasters got this problem without being fraudulent.

From what I read from those forum posts, looks like the chance of being reinstated for a disabled account is slim. So why don't you at least consider this.

1. You tell me which URL is problematic, I tell you the exact method I generate traffic to that website and the website and the log. Whether you reinstate my account or not, we will both learn something.
2. Should you choose to reinstate my account, just deduce 3-4 times the amount that's due to invalid click. I don't need that money.
3. Please let me know what else might persuade you to reinstate my account. I saw some people get reinstated. What do you look from them that you choose to reinstate them?

You see, I was about to make a highly converting series autoresponder and draw tens of thousands of traffics/week to my website. It takes a lot of work and I've been working on it.

That could earn you and me thousands of dollars per month.

Now, I know that my traffic, for now is small. Perhaps, some unusual activity makes my account look bad. From what I read in websites, that could be where the problem is.

I've been doing business with you for a few months.

Just take from my current earning whatever you reasonably think you deserve, and give me some chances.

Should you need any information, I'll be glad to provide to you.

Anyway, what about at least do #1 first. Tell me which website is problematic, so I can tell you the source of traffic and the log for that website.

Sincerely,

Susanto

That could earn you and me thousands of dollars per month.


Honestly, that's probably the last thing they want to see. I'm sure they hear that on an hourly basis and the odd account here and there has no overall effect on their system.

I'd take that as more of a bribe than anything else.

Yea, that's kind of lame.

I really have no freakin idea. You know what's funny.... I was quite late in putting the Pin. So I didn't cash any cheque yet. Also the timing is close to pay day.

Perhaps, there is no invalid clicks. Perhaps, all accounts have some small amount of invalid clicks. When they feel like not paying, they just don't pay.

One thing for sure is I don't cheat.

Oh I remember something. A long time ago. I think about a month ago, I saw a surge of traffic. At first I was happy thinking that one of my advertising techniques have worked. Then I realized that the traffic is not in my channel.

That's strange because if I expect a lot of traffic in my website, I will use channel to track it down. I want to ask google where the traffic come from. However, the next day, the mysterious traffic is gone, and it's only around $10. I don't know whether google has technology to tell me the URL when there is no channel. (clickcash have that). So I forget about it.

Perhaps, some people find one of my abandoned website and click like crazy? Perhaps, it's not even my website or not. This is kind of far fetched though.

Hello,


Thank you for your appeal.


After receiving your response, we re-reviewed your account data
thoroughly. We have reconfirmed that invalid clicks were generated on the
ads on your site in violation of our Terms and Conditions and program
policies.


https://www.google.com/adsense/terms
https://www.google.com/adsense/policies


We have these policies in place to help ensure the effectiveness of Google
ads for our publishers as well as our advertisers. According to our policy
on this matter, we are unable to reinstate you into the program.


Please bear in mind that subsequent or duplicate appeals may not be
considered and you may not receive any further communication from us. We
appreciate your understanding.


Sincerely,


The Google AdSense Team


Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: "Susanto Hardjoko" <webmaster@legendarygamesforum.com>
Subject: Appeal Form Submitted
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2006 08:18:33 -0000





Language: en
AdSenseLocale: en_US
form_type: appeal_form
Name: Susanto Hardjoko
PubId: webmaster@legendarygamesforum.com
DateDisabled: 6/12/2006
WebAudience: Arabs/Americans/Gamers
ContentSource: Various. (Which one is problematic here?)
Frequency: Sporadic
TrafficSource: Buy traffics. Signatures in posts. Search engines.
NumPeople: 2
InvalidActivity2: In the last 5 days prior to disabling I:
1. Ask google about a URL that don't track well.
2. Buy new spots on adbrite. I've been doing this for 6 months. Mostly I
lost money. Recently, I saw 2-3 working spots.
3. Post messages in Blizzard forum and http://legendarygamesforum.com is
in the signature.
4. Update layout of my website. Nothing significant though.
5. Update freedomessays.com
Perhaps some code get accidentally changed. Look, if you use frontpage,
the software tend to tidy up the alignment. So there are extra white
spaces called tabs. That will not change the code in anyway and I thought
your program take into account "irrelevant" changes. Also I think it has
been an old issue.
6. Some of my sources of traffic has increased yield recently. But that's
since weeks ago. That's why I buy more.
Suspicious: I got many websites. I can give you all logs if you want to.


Or, please let me know which one is problematic and I'll give you the raw
logs.


I've worked for you for 6 months. Please give me some benefits of doubt
okay?

Unfortunately with google you are guilty until proven innocent and they won't give you any information to help you prove your innocense.

Look, I check at google policies and terms of services.

Where is the one that says that I violate the policies if some third party, not because of my doing/negligence generate invalid clicks.

Where is the one that says that my account will get terminated if some third party generate invalid clicks?

So I have a case here. Google's canned email make it look like I violate terms of services because some invalid clicks are found on my ads. I didn't generate those clicks. I didn't ask others to make those clicks.

The terms does not say that I have to ensure that no invalid clicks are in my website. No body can do that.

The terms say I should not cause those invalid clicks. Of course, once in a while, things happen.

I am going to appeal again.

hardjoko, I just went to one of your sites, the one in your profile "website" button. While the Google ads obviously aren't showing, the ad code is still in place. So, from the main forum page, I clicked "register." And, found that you had AdSense ads on your registration page.

The AdSense Program Policies page used to explicitly state that ads can not be placed on "sign up" or "thank you" pages, but that statement was recently replaced with this: No Google ad may be placed on any non-content-based pages.

That's certainly not as clear, but the intent of it obviously the same.

If you are going to appeal again, I'd strongly recommend that you check all of your sites and remove the AdSense code from any pages that do not consist of unique content. And in your appeal email, tell them that you have done so. As it is, it'll take them only as long as it took me (about three seconds) to determine that you were in violation of their policies.

I've heard about this. However, I have never heard any cases of anyone getting whacked because they put the google ads on registration page.

You see, registration page is rarely seen. Also, if the problem is in the content of the website, google will usually warn first.

My bet is those unexplained spike of traffic is the cause.

The reason why the google ads are in registration page is because it's so damn difficult to remove google ads from registration page. To put google ads there I have to change the template. The template affects all pages, including the registration pages, which is rarely accessed.

I've heard about this. However, I have never heard any cases of anyone getting whacked because they put the google ads on registration page.
How do you know that? Clicks on a page where the policy says there shouldn't be ads are "invalid clicks." There are any number of cases of people saying they've been kicked from the program and have no idea why. Yours isn't the first of those cases where I've looked at the site and immediately seen ads on pages where the policy says there shouldn't be ads.

Whether it's the reason for the account being terminated or not, you're asking them to review your site (again). Seems to me it'd be a good idea to make sure that you're in accordance with all terms the policy you agreed to before doing that. But OK, it's your site; it's up to you.

Good luck!

This happens to everyone. They do it just when you request your money as well... Out of about 25 friends that have used them I only know 3 that have received money.

Allright, I'll remove all google ads. If they approve me, I will ask about this. My gut feeling is the surge of traffic.

By the way, when we paste code into frontpage, frontpage will insert a bunch of white space called tabs to make the code "neat" does that count as changing the code?

That's the problem. I got so many URL I don't know which one is problematic. And they won't tell me.

Is this allowed:

<table align=right border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="table1">
<tr>
<td>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-8269897098347794";
google_ad_width = 336;
google_ad_height = 280;
google_ad_format = "336x280_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
google_color_border = "F5F5F5";
google_color_bg = "F5F5F5";
google_color_link = "FF5C00";
google_color_text = "666666";
google_color_url = "FF5C00";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script>
</td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-8269897098347794";
google_ad_width = 336;
google_ad_height = 280;
google_ad_format = "336x280_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
google_color_border = "F5F5F5";
google_color_bg = "F5F5F5";
google_color_link = "FF5C00";
google_color_text = "666666";
google_color_url = "FF5C00";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script>
</td>
</tr>
</table>

As you see, there are some extra white spaces to make the code look neat. Frontpage automatically put that.

http://www.big-boards.com/ also has a lot of white spaces to make the code look neat. I saw many big sites do that. I don't think that's the problem.

Sometime ago, all of sudden I started getting too many clicks on a website where I had put AdSense. I was using Channels so I came to know which was that site. I immediately informed google 3-4 times but all the times I got same autoresponder sort of reply. But finally, I removed ADs from that particular site to be on a safer side.

i had my account cancelled and never got an proper explanation as to why,
apart from "click fraud"

i didnt do any click fraud..
i spent alot on AdWords to drive people to the site where the adsense
was, maybe that was the problem? i dont know..........

i lost (and spent) a fair few hundred bucks, for click fraud that i never did and never
got a chance to prove otherwise.

By the way, I ask one of my friend to ask google about ads in registration page:

"Thanks for following up. Unfortunately I cannot recommend or give your advice on what sites you should create in order to best use the traffic available to you. However, I can confirm that you may place AdSense ads on registration or login pages on your forum. "

By the way, I ask one of my friend to ask google about ads in registration page:

"Thanks for following up. Unfortunately I cannot recommend or give your advice on what sites you should create in order to best use the traffic available to you. However, I can confirm that you may place AdSense ads on registration or login pages on your forum. "
That's surprising, because the AdSense Terms and Conditions document says this, under Section 5, Prohibited Uses:

"You shall not... (v) display any Ad(s), Link(s), or Referral Button(s) on any error page, on any registration or "thank you" page (e.g., a page that thanks a user after he/she has registered with the applicable Web site), on any chat page, in any email, or on any Web page or any Web site that contains any pornographic, hate-related, violent, or illegal content..."

Personally I'd be cautious about taking what one Google employee says over what the written terms say; at least your friend should be sure to keep that email in case he needs it later for an appeal.

Thanks for the note. I'll ask google directly. Maybe that's why.

Hei, where in the agreement does it say that google has a right to seize all of our earning if say, 1% of the clicks are invalid?

I mean, say someone click invalidly on your link. Google has a right to seize the 1% payment, but you still have a right over the 90% even though your account is terminated. That seems to be what the agreement say?

I am just curious.

Google reserves the right to terminate without notice any account that has not generated a sufficient number of valid clicks on Ads or Referral Buttons or valid impressions of Ads (in each case as measured by Google)

Google reserves the right to withhold payment or charge back Your account due to any of the foregoing or any breach of this Agreement by You...

https://www.google.com/adsense/localized-terms?hl=en

You shall receive a payment related to the number of valid clicks on Ads, valid impressions of Ads, and/or valid completions of Referral Events initiated through Referral Buttons displayed in connection with Your Site(s), in each case as determined by Google for its participants in the Program. If You have elected to receive Search Results, this payment will be offset by fees applicable to Search Results.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Google shall not be liable for any payment based on: (a) any amounts which result from invalid queries, invalid Referral Events, or invalid clicks or impressions on Ads generated by any person, bot, automated program or similar device, as reasonably determined by Google, including without limitation through any clicks or impressions (i) originating from Your IP addresses or computers under Your control, (ii) solicited by payment of money, false representation, or request for end users to click on Ads, or (iii) solicited by payment of money, false representation, or any illegal or otherwise invalid request for end users to complete Referral Events; (b) Ads or Referral Buttons delivered to end users whose browsers have JavaScript disabled; (c) Ads benefiting charitable organizations and other placeholder or transparent Ads that Google may deliver; (d) Google advertisements for its own products and/or services (excluding payments based on completed Referral Events); or (e) clicks co-mingled with a significant number of invalid clicks described in (a) above, or as a result of any breach of this Agreement by You for any applicable pay period.

It seems to me only the invalid amount are taken of. Now, who else get their account terminated? I think I've heard a case where people get their account terminated but get check anyway.

This is extremely important. You see, if google finish the investigation, I am sure they will see that the amount of invalid clicks are insignificant if any.

Fraudulent people has huge invalid clicks. Non fraudulent people will have very low. Once they decide that, we can easily talk.

It seems to me only the invalid amount are taken of.

Be sure to read this part of what you quoted:

(e) clicks co-mingled with a significant number of invalid clicks described in (a) above, or as a result of any breach of this Agreement by You for any applicable pay period.

That says that they don't have to pay for valid clicks "co-mingled" with a "significant" (the meaning of which, of course, is up to them) number of invalid clicks... and they don't have to pay anything if you "breach," meaning violate any of the terms of, the agreement.
[QUOTE=hardjoko]Now, who else get their account terminated? I think I've heard a case where people get their account terminated but get check anyway.
Yes, that happens. Also note that in the agreement it says that they may take 90 pays to if the agreement is terminated.

Yap. Clicks comingled and significant. Those are quite vague.

In some interpretation, that can mean as you say, they don't have to pay anything. In some other cases, that can mean that they can't take all the money over 5% clicks.

When a term is ambiguous, jury will interpret it against the interest of those who write the terms. That's how US law works.

I've forwarded your concerns about this site to our team of specialists, who will investigate the issue further. We appreciate your help in maintaining the quality of the AdSense program.

I can confirm again that you may place your AdSense ads on the registration and login pages on your forum. I apologize for the confusion from our Terms and Conditions, I will pass along your feedback to our policy team.

Allright, I'll remove all google ads. If they approve me, I will ask about this. My gut feeling is the surge of traffic.

By the way, when we paste code into frontpage, frontpage will insert a bunch of white space called tabs to make the code "neat" doe
s that count as changing the code?


I kind of understand the "surge of traffic" you talking about. At the time my site was down and got banned from Google, I have more than 500 visitors which is a shock.

500 visitors is not a lot. You mean 500 clicks?

Did you explain what happened?

I knew someone would say it's not a lot, but my site is new and for friends only. Anyway from 12 visitors to >500 to me was a lot, and it happened only 2 days around the incident.
I believe Google uses automatic replies, I explained but no luck. I'm fine however.