Federal sting on Google

[yagoparamo]

Unrelated to the automotive industry but interesting for those of you involved on SEM.

This is a short story about a guy that built a pretty good business selling steroids online and that got Google to help him do so.


How a Career Con Man Led a Federal Sting That Cost Google $500 Million | Threat Level | Wired.com


“We started to joke that we could tell the AdWords people, ‘We want to kill baby seals,’ and they’d tell us how to do it.”

 

[subi101]

Wow. I hope Google is smart about the way they fix the problem. They make it so easy for legitimate business to update and maintain their listings... but to easy to create an illegal drug site?

... My question is where dit that 500 million go exactly?

Subi

 

[joe.pistell]

Google Tax Evasion in the UK news

MP on Google tax avoidance scheme: 'I think that you do evil' | Technology | The Guardian

 

[yagoparamo]

Wow. I hope Google is smart about the way they fix the problem. They make it so easy for legitimate business to update and maintain their listings... but to easy to create an illegal drug site?

... My question is where dit that 500 million go exactly?

Subi

Subi,

The feds spent the 500M in a Google PPC recruiting campaign on how to become a federal agent.

 

[paulray]

Wow I can get a dedicated Google adwords rep that will help me monitor and build my campaigns. I guess I need to up my Adwords budget to 20K a month.

 

[Mitch Gallant]

WOW. Great story Yago...

That sounds like a heck of an idea Paul, maybe we can both up our budgets to $10K and split the Google rep!

 

[yagoparamo]

Hey Mitch,

Other forums not as open minded...

 

[Mitch Gallant]

This is true, but they'll get there : )

This is a cheap shot I was going to keep to myself, but what the heck.

<rant>Whoever says things like, no offence but, I don't want to sound ______ BUT, I'm humble AND I'm awesome, this scumbag Steve hat is for you. </rant>

 

[Mitch Gallant]

and I spelt "than" wrong

 

[ryan.leslie]

<rant>Whoever says things like, no offence but, I don't want to sound ______ BUT, I'm humble AND I'm awesome, this scumbag Steve hat is for you.
</rant>

View attachment 1649

...and I spelt "than" wrong

No offense but... you also spelled offense wrong.