If someone threatened me with my AdSense account in any way, I would notify G immediately. If this person has said this in an email, forward the email to Google asap.

This is really an awful thing, to have to concern oneself that someone who is a total jerk would try to ruin how someone else is making a living.

It would be interesting to know why this guy threatened you. Was it out of the blue or is he a competitor?

In fact, I don't know whom he is, just know his email address. I think he is my competitor.
But what should I do?

But what should I do?

As was said above send the e-mail to Google with all the header info. Then you might try to find out who he or she is and why they are threatening you.

But what should I do?

Besides contacting Google, I'd also contact the attacker's ISP (if he used a proxy, then contact the proxy ISP) and, if your monthly AdSense earnings are substantial, contact the police.

Good luck.

Do you think it's worth contacting Google?

From Google's point of view, it might be seen as an issue between you and the one who threatened you. To them you might appear as a problem client. Would they bother?

the problem is that he could just go and gives u tenth of click which lead ur accouant to be banned

From Google's point of view, it might be seen as an issue between you and the one who threatened you. To them you might appear as a problem client. Would they bother?

I agree to a point but, I'd contact Goggle just to be on record. They might bother because a click attack would cost them money.

Report to Google, ISPs, lawyer and police. Even if you lose 1 cent it's criminal because he is cutting food from your mouth.

I would not worry about this jerk. He most likely the sad type of person who likes to make threats.

Think about it, if you wanted to do a click attack would you warn your victim about it first?

Unless this is a new type of cyber blackmail similar to threatning denial of service attack.

I would wait with notifying Google, if you warn them that your sites will potentially be generating false clicks you are carrying out the attack on yourself!

If it does become an issue and you get banned then you can forward the email and explain that you did not take him/her seriously.

Problem is I don't know his ip, and any information of him. but if he attack my adsense, I will get his information.

And if I conact Google, google will specially check my site content, referrals,page views,and clicks? I don't have enough confidence of my site contents. :(

Report to Google, ISPs, lawyer and police

The police? Surely they must have bigger fish to fry.

If you're worried you can install a click tracker script and monitor that. Frankly I suspect it's a hoax -- either the email, or maybe this whole thread. Nobody stands to gain anything from doing such a thing.

"And if I conact Google, google will specially check my site content, referrals,page views,and clicks? I don't have enough confidence of my site contents."

Something to hide?

The first thing I would do is ban the IP from your website. Where do you get it from? You can prolly get it from your logs and match it up with the one in the email header he sent you. Save the email to your disk and then open it with Notepad, and waallaaa.

Second, I would write Adsense support and ask them for advice. Allow them to help YOU handle it, instead of pushing the problem on to them. Also, if you know this person's website, I would point Adsense team to it and let them know they have an missenthrope publisher using unethical tactics.

Third, CC the jerk-offs ISP on the email, or write the ISP a direct email and tell them either THEY or their member will be held liable for any loss of income considering this person is using their system to deliver threats (RICO). This is just a point for them to take you serious quickly, is all...

Lastly, if you have a someone in your life that can reach and beat the adsense (sorry, but had to do it) out of this dude, I would do it... But I know that's unlikely. People like that get under my skin soooooo bad.

For me, I would give this person enough work for him to keep occupied and away from me. I've done things like write formal letters from email alias Legal just make sure they understand they are messing with a business that has a back bone.

[edited by: Yippee at 5:30 pm (utc) on July 13, 2006]

"And if I conact Google, google will specially check my site content, referrals,page views,and clicks? I don't have enough confidence of my site contents."

I hate to say it but with comments like this it confirms me leaving my money out of adwords. If people don’t have enough confidence in their sites then why should I have confidence in giving them money? Google its time for a little QC...

Thanks,Yippee and all.

I have ban some ip address that seems suspicious. And what I can do is monitoring the web logs and adsense clicks. Something happended, I will come back!

this is getting weakning the adsense users... anybody can get the adsense user id and can threaten easily... in the above case the culprit send the notification about the using the adsense user id... but cant expect from every culprit will mail the adsense user about using the adsense id some where else against G's tos...

in my thought... there should be some modification in google java code, that should not visible the PUB ID to anyone, unless to the owner...

that should not visible the PUB ID to anyone, unless to the owner...

I am sorry, but that's not feasible....
javascript is there to be seen ...

Next Time, don't let anyone know your website(s) that has adsense in it. Even your family and friends because sometimes they are the ones who get your adsense account banned.

Next Time, don't let anyone know your website(s) that has adsense in it. Even your family and friends because sometimes they are the ones who get your adsense account banned.

thats the honest to god truth! i never tell anyone what my website is. i just say its confidential. everyone probably thinks its porn, but atleast i know better and have piece of mind.

I appreciate what people are saying about keeping their domain secret etc. However, how many of you wouldn't tell people what you worked at? Amazing that one company can make so many people paranoid. In case anyone wonders what I do. Adsense knows, so you don't need to!