Google Click Fraud

[dotCOM-steven]

In case this helps with anyone trying to reach Google AdWords and reporting click fraud.

Google Adwords Telephone:
866-246-6453
Option #2

Every now and then, as a Google Professional partner, we review our client Adwords programs, stats and click fraud. The last few months we have noticed on our own account a company clicking on our Adwords then spending about 1 second on the page, leaving and clicking again. Over and over again. This week we had to collect the information to pass to them to take action.

After spending some time trying to reach a "googler" on the phone I found the correct number and procedure so I wanted to share:

1. Use their web form to report the click fraud.
2. Follow up via phone and ask how to send them your logs from your server. Since the form only allows a max of 250ish characters you can not attach the form.
3. It takes them about two weeks to complete the process, refund $. Then they will pass the data to their team for further action.

There are some other software packages we use to prevent and monitor PPC and if anyone needs some ideas for "best practices" let me know.

Steven

[Brandon MUS]

I'd be interested in the software packages you mentioned. Would you prefer me to contact you offlist?

Thanks for the numbers. It should save everyone a lot of headaches.

[jason - jmh web services]

I'd be interested in the software packages you mentioned. Would you prefer me to contact you offlist?

Thanks for the numbers. It should save everyone a lot of headaches.
Clicktracks Pro (http://www.jmhonline.net/clicktracks) does this very well.

[dotCOM-steven]

Sorry for the long delay.
I have been out of the country working on some projects.

Click Fraud...

I would suggest going through your logs and setting up some traps.
Then use software like:

adwatcher
clicktracks
whosclickingwho

And a good any analytics (no..google analytics is not the answer) but there are a few (expensive) ones that will work well. It will also give you data about how your clicks are working, the real cost, and will help you refine your online marketing.

In our case we were able to show Google some logs with great detail. Then I backed them up with about two months of data collection, and some other items from the software I suggested above.

If your PPC are only about $100 a month it is not worth the effort. In most cases the build in GOOGLE fraud protection works. But since we do this for ourselves and larger clients we spend a lot of time and money on the campaigns.

Hope that helps.