Posted by: Rebecca on 18th Jun 2009Tags: ppc,click fraud,adwords,msn paid searchPay per click fraudsters will face their first day in court courtesy of a search giant after Microsoft filed a law suit against a number of internet users from Vancouver. The first PPC platform to ever sue over click fraud, Microsoft hope their move will set a legal precedent, paving the way for more cases in future and discouraging would be fraudsters to click on adverts simply to deplete the budget.

Microsoft took the case to court seeking damages of at least $750,000. The Silicon Valley search giant first identified the problem in March 2008 when unusual search patterns led to an investigation and then discovery of a system intended to deplete the advertising budgets of the accused’s competitors.

ClickForensics estimate that one in every seven clicks on internet adverts are fraudulent, adding up to millions of pounds worth of wasted spend for advertisers each year.   Most click fraud is carried out by automated web bots, simple programs designed to waste ad spend by clicking through from a pay per click advert.

If Microsoft win their case, it’s hoped that the library of case law and sanctions imposed will act as a powerful deterrent for would-be pay per click fraudsters.

Signs Your PPC Campaign May Be A Victim Of Click Fraud

• Unusual traffic spikes either over the course of a few hours or several days / months
• A high bounce rate on landing pages, at certain hours of the day or times of the week
• Higher traffic with less conversions
• A surge in clicks on a particular keyword, despite no recent changes to ad copy or placement