If you are a user of Google Adsense or AdWords, you must have heard about a black hat method of computing called “Click Fraud”. What exactly is click fraud and how is it done?

Well, as explained before in previous blog posts, AdSense awards a portion of money to a publisher (holder of an AdSense banner on their page) every time a person clicks on the banner. So, click fraud is the attempt to have people clicking the ads on purpose just so that they can earn more income.

Sad to say, there are people setting up sites for the sole purpose of fraudulently generating income through Google’s AdSense program. These users get a huge number of clicks through many different methods, some of which is complex and sophisticated, and some, easy and simple.

One of the more complex methods is through the use of automated programs called “hitbots”. It emulates clicking of the links in AdSense banners.

Another, easier method of click fraud is to hire people to click the links on your site. What it means that these people actually sit in front of a computer all day and just click on links so you can earn a fortune. Usually they are from the less well to do countries such as India, and they are will to be paid for just $0.50 an hour.

Of course, there is a loophole with this mechanism. Once Google detects a large number of clicks from a single IP address, Google will ban the address and the site that had the AdSense banner. In a worse case scenario, it might even get the fraudster sued.

To bypass this, many people use a large number of proxy servers for the purpose of clicking. These are basically trojans which are located in computers throughout the world, (though mainly in the US). What’s even more frightening is that these clicks seems like as if it appears from an actual computer, so such scams may be hard to detect.

If search engine companies do not increase their security, such criminal behavior could become more and more damaging.

Fortunately, Google has been known to have a very strict policy regarding click fraud. The company had even sued those using such techniques in the past. There is certainly room for improvement while the search engine giant tries its best to minimize the risk of click fraud.

It is estimated that more then 20 to 40% of the clicks from an AdSense link are just to get money from the person paying for the ad.

There are other more schemes that are employed involving click fraud. i.e. Groups of AdSense publishers clicking each other’s links. This is referred to as “clicking rings”. Publishers may even spam people so that they click on such links.

The click fraud phenomenon is certainly raising concerns for the advertisers on AdWords, although Google is trying its best to keep it under tabs, However, advertising with Google’s AdSense still remains more profitable for the advertiser, as compared to traditional untargeted advertising schemes.

All advertisers should be savvy enough to employ means of protection against such schemes. However, because of the fear of click fraud, many advertisers choose to avoid the content network all together. Money is made for those who persevere on. Learn from Peter Lee as he will show how he earned US$500 to $600 every month with Google Adsense.

For those living in Singapore, click on the link to find out more –> Micro Niche Adsense Course

Recommend to 6 of your friends, and if they join, your course will be paid for!