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Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Click Fraudsters: Be Very, Very Careful
ClickZ reports on what one hopes is just the first in a spate arrests for "click fraud." Numerous clubs, bots, and incentive schemes are out there today with the intent of bilking advertisers.
In the past year, I've been asked at seminars and in interviews what can be "done" about the problem of bogus clicks. In those instances where I just came right out and said what needs to happen is that the perpetrators need to be arrested, I've noticed the interviewer would often go very quiet and change the subject.
Folks, we're here to sell the steak, not just the sizzle. Confronting fraud head on now, even if it means using uncomfortable words like "arrest" and "jail," is the best thing for the long-term health of online advertising.
One bit of advice for the hapless perpetrator of this particular scheme, dubbed "Google Clique": if you plan to extort money from someone, next time don't meet with them in their corporate offices while U.S. Secret Service agents watch and listen from the next room.
Posted by
Andrew Goodman
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D'oh!
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