4 ms·

So whats the major disincentive to people who read this and immediately think "Kaching!"? (me) There must be a down side, apart from the seedy feeling someone

So whats the major disincentive to people who read this and immediately think "Kaching!"? (me) There must be a down side, apart from the seedy feeling someone might get from doing this.

paulmolluzzo 14y ago
I'm no lawyer, but this look like wire fraud. Plus there's a trend of "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" in federal prosecution lately.
- fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
  But not if you wore an expensive suit while doing it.
  - mejari 14y ago
    The guy in the 8,000 dollar suit is going to jail because of ads, COME ON
- skcin7 14y ago
  > "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" This is a result of the general public's incredible ignorance when it comes to how computers work. I hope this trend will fade soon as newer generations that have been raised on computers become older. I really dislike the whole "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" mentality that government seems to have today.
  - jbooth 14y ago
    I think its more specifically a case of senior legislators and policymakers hatefearing the internet. They're supposed to be the rulemakers.
- arbuge 14y ago
  It's been 2 years and the name of the perpetrator is in the article. Has he faced any charges?
  - hayksaakian 14y ago
    If you notice in the comments, someone with the listed name claims their identity was stolen. Its quite expected that a competent criminal would use a stolen identity so as not to connect themselves to the crime in any way.
    - arbuge 14y ago
      Ad networks know who they cut a check to. There is always a paper trail in this business, even if he registered the domains in somebody els's name (risky strategy if so - that somebody else would be legal owner).
skcin7 14y ago
I immediately think "kaching" as well. However this article was published in March 2011, and I imagine the advertising world has evolved slightly to prevent this fraud from happening, so your scheme would have to be clever enough to outwit any changes. If the scheme has been exposed for two years I imagine there are more players utilizing this scheme in the fraud-market. Only way to know for sure is to try it yourself and learn from experience, in which case you'd be breaking the law and taking a risk.
- rtwtlkj 14y ago
  And hopefully karma catches on with whomever does this and rot in jail.
  - jonknee 14y ago
    I'm curious what laws this breaks. Has anyone been prosecuted for similar click fraud? It seems like a contract dispute and the advertiser has the ability to not pay and perhaps come after the scammer for past losses, but it's a TOS violation more than a legal one. Google is pretty famous for shutting the door on AdSense publishers without much of an appeals process, but I haven't heard of them pursuing anyone criminally. Google even let go a case that involved extortion (someone set on releasing click fraud software unless Google paid up). http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-12-04/the-vanishing-click-fraud-casebusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-12-04/the-vanishing... It appears Google values its secrets more than their losses to click fraud.
    - skcin7 14y ago
      I'm not sure what laws it breaks but the laws are so ambiguous you could really be charged with a wide variety of things all depending on how much the prosecution wants to put you away. Could be anything from money laundering to computer abuse to mail fraud depending on a lot of variables involved - and also very much depends on what country the person accused is from.
- phpnode 14y ago
codesuela 14y ago
the irony of this comment coming from Mr. Integrity is not lost on me

So whats the major disincentive to people who read this and immediately think "Kaching!"? (me) There must be a down side, apart from the seedy feeling someone might get from doing this.

paulmolluzzo 14y ago

I'm no lawyer, but this look like wire fraud. Plus there's a trend of "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" in federal prosecution lately.

fnordfnordfnord 14y ago
But not if you wore an expensive suit while doing it.
- mejari 14y ago
  The guy in the 8,000 dollar suit is going to jail because of ads, COME ON
skcin7 14y ago
> "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" This is a result of the general public's incredible ignorance when it comes to how computers work. I hope this trend will fade soon as newer generations that have been raised on computers become older. I really dislike the whole "he did it on a computer so burn him at the stake" mentality that government seems to have today.
- jbooth 14y ago
  I think its more specifically a case of senior legislators and policymakers hatefearing the internet. They're supposed to be the rulemakers.
arbuge 14y ago
It's been 2 years and the name of the perpetrator is in the article. Has he faced any charges?
- hayksaakian 14y ago
  If you notice in the comments, someone with the listed name claims their identity was stolen. Its quite expected that a competent criminal would use a stolen identity so as not to connect themselves to the crime in any way.
  - arbuge 14y ago
    Ad networks know who they cut a check to. There is always a paper trail in this business, even if he registered the domains in somebody els's name (risky strategy if so - that somebody else would be legal owner).

skcin7 14y ago

I immediately think "kaching" as well. However this article was published in March 2011, and I imagine the advertising world has evolved slightly to prevent this fraud from happening, so your scheme would have to be clever enough to outwit any changes. If the scheme has been exposed for two years I imagine there are more players utilizing this scheme in the fraud-market. Only way to know for sure is to try it yourself and learn from experience, in which case you'd be breaking the law and taking a risk.

rtwtlkj 14y ago
And hopefully karma catches on with whomever does this and rot in jail.
- jonknee 14y ago
  I'm curious what laws this breaks. Has anyone been prosecuted for similar click fraud? It seems like a contract dispute and the advertiser has the ability to not pay and perhaps come after the scammer for past losses, but it's a TOS violation more than a legal one. Google is pretty famous for shutting the door on AdSense publishers without much of an appeals process, but I haven't heard of them pursuing anyone criminally. Google even let go a case that involved extortion (someone set on releasing click fraud software unless Google paid up). http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-12-04/the-vanishing-click-fraud-casebusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-12-04/the-vanishing... It appears Google values its secrets more than their losses to click fraud.
  - skcin7 14y ago
    I'm not sure what laws it breaks but the laws are so ambiguous you could really be charged with a wide variety of things all depending on how much the prosecution wants to put you away. Could be anything from money laundering to computer abuse to mail fraud depending on a lot of variables involved - and also very much depends on what country the person accused is from.
phpnode 14y ago

codesuela 14y ago

the irony of this comment coming from Mr. Integrity is not lost on me