Still thinking to cheat AdSense? Stop that. It will never bring you anywhere. You might pull it off with smaller ads network, but definitely not with Google. Here are some detection methods they might use. At the very least, they have the resources to do so.
IP Address
If the AdSense click is originated from the same IP Address as the one used for accessing your AdSense account, your account is flagged.
Cookies
Most home users do not use static IP Address for Internet connection. In most cases just disconnect and reconnect will give you a new IP Address. But don’t forget, Google has set cookies on your computer.
Other Google Services
Thinking that you are safe just because you do not access your AdSense account? Think again. This time, consider these: GMail, Google Earth, Google Calendar, Google Search, Google Toolbar, Google Talk, Google Sitemap, Google Desktop, Blogger, and so on, and so on. With the wide range of services they provide, Google can trace the originator of most (or probably almost all) clicks.
Click Pattern 1
Oh, why this computer / IP address / person is so trigger-click-happy on this particular website but never click on the ads on other sites?
Click Pattern 2
And why is it that people accessing these sites direct (type-in URL or from bookmark) tend to be very active ad-clickers compared with those referred from search engine or other sites?
Click Pattern 3
And why the ad-clickers like to hit and run, compared with non ad-clickers that surf a few pages before leaving?
Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
Your CTR may range from 0.5% to 10%, but if it exceeds a certain point (probably around 10%), you are flagged.
Geo-Location
Used Urchin (Google Analytics) before? Then you should know that Google can trace traffics origin down to the small town. Different IP doesn’t mean much. Unless you site is really targetted to one small geo-point, a high number of clicks from nearby location will get you banned quickly.
Hardware address?
MAC address of the LAN card, modem, and router works almost like a fingerprint. I’m not sure if Google can track this, but probably they do. They have rocket scientist, remember?
Advertisers conversion rate
Ad click is one thing. But does it bring value to the advertisers? If none of the clicks on your site translate to conversion to the advertiser, you are in trouble. First the Smart-Pricing hits, then your AdSense account disabled.
Search Engine Ranking
Your website is not indexed on any search engine, not linked by any prominent website, but get consistently high traffic? That sounds like something is in play. Regardless of whether it is an adware-embedded software, spam, trojan clickbot, or intentionally installed click-exchange network, it doesn’t sound right.
Webpage design
How about the “click here” or “support us”? Google has the best search engine in the world. Is it really that hard to find those words?
Combo
Each of these detection methods might seem rather weak. But combine them together, and not many click-fraud can pass-through these filters. Even the smartest clickbot will have a hard time.
In short, it is almost impossible to cheat AdSense in the long term. Instead of spending time, money, and effort trying to outsmart Google, try these tips to improve your AdSense earning.
Disclaimer : I’m not working for Google nor in anyway know anyone inside Google. Google might or might not use these methods to detect click-fraud. I’d believe that they have much better detection mechanism.
Related entries:
- How to Get Banned from Google Adsense
- Google Adsense: Understanding the Google Adsense Report
- AdSense Clickbots On The Rage?
- AdSense: Image No More
- AdSense Application Approved
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12 Comments so far
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Hi, Peter. I was not sure about that point too. Thanks for clarifying.
Comment by Fernando Hal 06.14.06 @ 8:27 amSo because you have ““click here” or “support us”” in your article (and now in this comment), do you think Google will flag your site for it? That’d be ironic.
Comment by garraeth 06.16.06 @ 3:09 pmThat sounds logical, but Google prides it’s search engine ability to calculate location and context of text in the pages. Thus, probably they know the text does not refer to asking visitors to click on the ads.
Besides, they have human reviewers, that probably come to your site after a number red flags.
Comment by Fernando Hal 06.16.06 @ 10:03 pmHi Fernando, This is the first time, I’m reading your blog… Great one!!! I’m inserting your URL in my feedreader now…
The “Geolocation” point is absolutely true and I guess Google must work strongly on this point…
Good one, frd!!!
Comment by Manoj Kumar 06.17.06 @ 5:28 amHow about writing an article about how to cram the maximum possible # of Google ads into every page?
Comment by fkr 06.29.06 @ 10:26 pmOne thing you got wrong is that google makes money from fake clickers. So its not google that is looking for frauds… but the advertisers. Google lets them self-police. Google will not touch your account or care much about anything you just mentioned until they get a compaint from advertisers. Google makes over $300 million a year from fraud clicks… tell me they dont want that money.
Comment by blah 08.21.06 @ 12:38 amGreat Report!!!
Just tell me what if CTR is more than 10% even if the clicks are genuine? What if there are genuine conversions too? How google tracks these conversions?
Fernando, don’t take this the wrong way, but you sound like a loser. That is, you have a very defeatist attitude which will always ensure that you will lose. Just because you were unable to cheat Google doesn’t mean that no one can. Unless you delete this post (which you probably will) I want others to know that it IS possible to win. I’m living proof. And I’m no computer genius. I’m just persistent and thorough… and I refuse to lose. I hope some of you out there will join me. It takes guts, but you can do it. 
Iv read many people saying dont fraud google and stuff like that but there is one way they always forget to mention… Ever heard of a proxy. They are google’s nightmare. If you click your ads through a proxy google will not be able to trace it to you and you could scam thousands a month off them. If you clicked your own ads all day and made false impressions you could get thousands a day. Just thought you guys might like to know this 
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Great post as usual, only one niggle - the MAC Address will not be visible to Google unless you are on the same LAN segment as them
Comment by Peter 06.14.06 @ 8:07 amMAC Addresses are not re-transmitted by routers so the MAC Address of your router/modem is only visible to the next router in the link, usually your ISP.