Proof Positive
Examples of Ad Fraud
Dr. Augustine Fou
http://linkd.in/augustinefou
acfou @mktsci .com
November 2013
-1-

Augustine Fou
Suspected display ad fraud

19 blocked ads on page
site = analyzecanceradvice .com
-2-

Augustine Fou
Pages/Ads in Hidden iFrames
• Hidden layers or iframes
• Location of ad registeres as
“viewable” (above fold)

Source: Spider.io May 2, 2013
-3-

Augustine Fou
Suspected click fraud

Sears Ad in #2 Spot

-4-

Augustine Fou
Sears.com Target Page
http://www.sears.com/tvselectronics-televisions-ledtvs&50%20to%2059%20i
n._LG/b1231474483?filter=Screen
%20Size_Brand&keyword
Search=false&previousSor
t=ORIGINAL_SORT_OR
DER&viewItems=55&sid
=ISx20070515x00001d&p
sid=14x2398612&knshCri
d=3146729990&k_clickI
D=1b83b3c2-6d5b-f62913f5-00006d4661fa
-5-

Augustine Fou
Big Spenders in Paid Search
Macys.com
$930k /mo

Sears.com
$1.3M /mo
-6-

Augustine Fou
Exhibit 1

-7-

Augustine Fou
healthsiteproductionalways.com

buy eye cream online

-8-

Augustine Fou
healthsiteproductionalways.com

Olay.com ad
in #1 position

-9-

Augustine Fou
Destination: Olay.com
http://www.olay.com/skincare-products/OlayProX?utm_source=msn&utm
_medium=cpc&utm_camp
aign=Olay_Search_Deskto
p_Category+Interest+Prod
uct.Phrase&utm_term=eye
%20cream&utm_content=
TZsrSzFz_eye%20cream_
p_2990456911

Click thru URL
passing fake source
- 10 -

Augustine Fou
Exhibit 2

- 11 -

Augustine Fou
thelifevibe.com

residential home cleaning

- 12 -

Augustine Fou
thelifevibe.com

Clorox.com
ad in #2
position
- 13 -

Augustine Fou
Destination: Clorox.com
http://www.clorox.com/cleani
ng-and-laundrytips/disinfecting/cold-andflu/disinfect-andprotect/?utm_source=bing&ut
m_medium=cpc&utm_term=
Cleaning+A+Home&utm_ca
mpaign=ColdFlu

Click thru
URL passing
fake source
- 14 -

Augustine Fou
Exhibit 3

- 15 -

Augustine Fou
analyzecanceradvice.com
$1.31 CPC

- 16 -

Augustine Fou
analyzecanceradvice.com

- 17 -

Augustine Fou
Cascadeclean.com
http://www.cascadecl
ean.com/us/cascade/?
utm_source=bing&ut
m_medium=cpc&ut
m_term=dishwashers
%20detergent&utm_
campaign=Cascade_
Search_Desktop_Cat
egory+Interest_7.13
&utm_content=fWX
aDoYk|d_299859231
4_e_dishwashers%2
0detergent

- 18 -

Augustine Fou
Exhibit 4

- 19 -

Augustine Fou
findhealthopinion.com

- 20 -

Augustine Fou
findhealthopinion.com

- 21 -

Augustine Fou
Swiffer.com
http://www.swiffer.c
om/?utm_source=bin
g&utm_medium=cpc
&utm_term=swiffer
&utm_campaign=Sw
iffer_Search_Deskto
p_Brand+Awareness
&utm_content=33Nx
Th34_1756411066_e
_swiffer

- 22 -

Augustine Fou
More Bad Guy Sites

- 23 -

Augustine Fou
More Identical Sites
http://picturesandbox.com/screengrab/grid.php

- 24 -

Augustine Fou
Dozens of Identical Sites
1

2

6

7

3
8

4

5

9

10
11
- 25 -

12

13

14

15

16

17
Augustine Fou
Related Articles
Bad Guys Happily Rob Display Advertisers
By: Augustine Fou, July 23, 2012
Everything Fake (Display Ad Fraud, Search Click Fraud)
By: Augustine Fou, April 2013
Blacklisting vs Whitelisting
By: Augustine Fou, October 2013
Visual Proof of Click Fraud
By: Augustine Fou, November 2013
How Display Ad Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, May 2013
- 26 -

Augustine Fou
Dr. Augustine Fou – Digital Consigliere
“I advise clients on optimizing
advertising across all channels. Using
insights and fast-feedback loops from
digital, we can not only target brand ads
better, but we can detect and mitigate ad
fraud and waste.”
FORMER CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER, HCG (OMNICOM)
MCKINSEY CONSULTANT
CLIENT SIDE / AGENCY SIDE EXPERIENCE
PROFESSOR AND COLUMNIST
ENTREPRENEUR / SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
PHD MATERIALS SCIENCE (MIT '95) AT AGE 23
ClickZ Articles: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-clickz
Slideshares: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-slideshares
LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/augustinefou

- 27 -

@acfou

Augustine Fou

Proof Positive Ad Fraud Digital Forensic Analysis by Augustine Fou