Comments on: Google Click-to-Call Subject to Phone Pranks? http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html Internet Marketing News Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:48:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: SEOPittfall » Blog Archive » Click to Call gets Abused - Search Engine Optimization by pittfall! http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-27895 SEOPittfall » Blog Archive » Click to Call gets Abused - Search Engine Optimization by pittfall! Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:51:03 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-27895 [...] Click to Call gets Abused [...] [...] Click to Call gets Abused [...]

]]> By: pittfall http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-5269 pittfall Sun, 26 Nov 2006 00:27:05 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-5269 Andy, Just like AdWords, Click to Call will be subject to abuse. What's the difference between clicking on your competitor's ads and typing in your phone number? Andy,
Just like AdWords, Click to Call will be subject to abuse. What’s the difference between clicking on your competitor’s ads and typing in your phone number?

]]> By: Gregg Hilferding http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-4918 Gregg Hilferding Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:41:26 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-4918 I don't think fraudsters are reading the FAQ in either case. I only point it out as an indicator that they gave it some thought. :) Pranks aside, it's going to be shocking to many when a widget wholesaler receives a call for retail widgets and that wholesaler still has to pay for that call. "Pay Per Call" is going to have limited usage and a short lifespan for that reason alone. I don’t think fraudsters are reading the FAQ in either case. I only point it out as an indicator that they gave it some thought. :)

Pranks aside, it’s going to be shocking to many when a widget wholesaler receives a call for retail widgets and that wholesaler still has to pay for that call. “Pay Per Call” is going to have limited usage and a short lifespan for that reason alone.

]]> By: Andy Beal http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-4911 Andy Beal Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:58:04 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-4911 Gregg,I'm sure Google has similar language for click fraud, but that still happens. :-) Gregg,I’m sure Google has similar language for click fraud, but that still happens. :-)

]]> By: Chris Crum http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-4904 Chris Crum Wed, 22 Nov 2006 19:30:41 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-4904 What's to stop someone from signing up for a bunch of email subscriptions using someone else's email address? I'm sure it happens quite frequently and I would suspect that the same would apply here. What’s to stop someone from signing up for a bunch of email subscriptions using someone else’s email address?

I’m sure it happens quite frequently and I would suspect that the same would apply here.

]]> By: sir spamalot http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-4894 sir spamalot Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:37:30 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-4894 The idea of telephone spammers using google's click-to-call is serious, but serious spammers can already do this very easily. If you have skype and the skype toolbar for firefox, explorer, etc., you can search for businesses with google maps and skype will highlight the phone numbers. With one click you can call those numbers using skype. Since calls to numbers in the US and Canada are free with skype right now, the cost to spammers is zero. Furthermore, its very difficult, if not impossible to trace the call since no caller ID is transfered to the recipient. I am not sure if any telephone spammers have picked up on this yet. However, if they haven't, they only have about a month left before skype starts charging for calls again in the US and Canada. The idea of telephone spammers using google’s click-to-call is serious, but serious spammers can already do this very easily. If you have skype and the skype toolbar for firefox, explorer, etc., you can search for businesses with google maps and skype will highlight the phone numbers. With one click you can call those numbers using skype. Since calls to numbers in the US and Canada are free with skype right now, the cost to spammers is zero. Furthermore, its very difficult, if not impossible to trace the call since no caller ID is transfered to the recipient. I am not sure if any telephone spammers have picked up on this yet. However, if they haven’t, they only have about a month left before skype starts charging for calls again in the US and Canada.

]]> By: Gregg Hilferding http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html/comment-page-1#comment-4881 Gregg Hilferding Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:26:50 +0000 http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2006/11/google-click-to-call-subject-to-phone-pranks.html#comment-4881 Google addresses this subject, albeit briefly, in the Click-to-Call FAQ: http://www.google.com/help/faq_clicktocall.html <b>What if someone enters my phone number instead of theirs as a prank call?</b> Google takes fraud and spamming very seriously. We use technical methods to prevent future prank calls from the same user within a reasonable period of time. You won't be charged for any such calls. Please contact adwords-support@google.com if you believe someone is entering your phone number without your permission or knowledge. Google addresses this subject, albeit briefly, in the Click-to-Call FAQ: http://www.google.com/help/faq_clicktocall.html

What if someone enters my phone number instead of theirs as a prank call?
Google takes fraud and spamming very seriously. We use technical methods to prevent future prank calls from the same user within a reasonable period of time. You won’t be charged for any such calls. Please contact adwords-support@google.com if you believe someone is entering your phone number without your permission or knowledge.

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