How fake content sites are generated and how bad guys make money from them through ad fraud.

1. Fake Content Sites
for Ad Fraud
Dr. Augustine Fou
October 2013
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Augustine Fou

2. Original Press Release
October 1, 2013
Source:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seikisets-new-entry-price-for-65-inch-class-4k-ultrahd-tvs-225988521.html
Highlighted Quote:
"It's no secret that the Seiki brand is the
price leader in the 4K Ultra HD category,
and we aim to further our market
leadership by offering the best value in
large-screen 4K Ultra HD TVs with
exceptional picture and build quality."
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Augustine Fou

3. Reuters Pickup
October 1, 2013
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/01/caseiki-65in-4k-tvsidUSnPNLA89921+1e0+PRN20131001
Highlighted Quote:
"It's no secret that the Seiki brand is the
price leader in the 4K Ultra HD category,
and we aim to further our market
leadership by offering the best value in
large-screen 4K Ultra HD TVs with
exceptional picture and build quality."
-3-
Augustine Fou

4. Content Plaigiarized
Source:
Google search on entire phrase in
quotes:
http://bit.ly/16H9Gk5
6,530 google results
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Augustine Fou

5. Sample Suspect Sites
neogaf.com
flatpanelshd.com
areadvd.de
bratislavaguide.com
dealerscope.com
all-inox.cl
iwannalooklikesienna.blogspot.com
thebreathtakingbride.com
superheroesmgmt.com/blog/post
kippen.vogelpraat.nl
english.istanbul.com
flatscreenuniverse.com
calculatorovulatie.ro
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Verbatim from
first 2 pages of
Google search
results
Augustine Fou

6. Algo-generated Pages
Source:
http://www.highdefdigest.com/tags/s
how/Seiki_Digital
Characteristics:
• typically blog platform
• keywords optimized for each
post to attract organic traffic
• content plaigiarized from press
releases and other sites
• stuffed with display
ads, affiliate links or link bait
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Augustine Fou

7. Not Human-Readable
Characteristics
• Auto-generated by bots,
stuffed with search keywords
• To attract organic search traffic
• Not human readable (low
instance of natural phrases)
• Stuffed with affiliate links and
display ads
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Augustine Fou

8. Affiliate Links on Page
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00BXF7I9M/panandscathed-20
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/itemdetails.asp?EdpNo=7674736&SRCCODE=LINKSHARE&cm_mmc_o=ddCjC1bELltzywCjCd2CjCdwwp&utm_source=Linkshare&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=TnL5H
PStwNw&AffiliateID=TnL5HPStwNw-Hc5zkpsnZO2pj1vg.2uttw
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Augustine Fou

9. Other Sites Using Same
Affiliate ID
Source: http://sameid.net/amazon-aff/panandscathed-20/
Source: http://reverseinternet.com/amazonaffiliate/panandscathed-20
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Augustine Fou

10. Affiliate Rev Shares
Camera rev shares:
$25 - $78
Computer
$15 - $28
Electronics
$13 - $56
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Augustine Fou

11. Fraud Value Chain
impressions
clicks
Networks of fake content sites
designed to attract free organic
search traffic
Botnets generate fake pageviews
which produce ad impression
“inventory” (get paid for CPM)
leads
Click farms generate fake clicks (get
paid for CPC)
sales
Fake leads (get paid for CPL minus cost of
filling out lead forms)
Fake sales via affiliate revenue shares; money
laundering, especially on digital goods/subscriptions
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Augustine Fou

12. Dr. Augustine Fou – Digital Consigliere
“I investigate and expose online ad fraud
– fake display ad views, fake video views,
etc. I advise clients on how to detect and
mitigate wasting budget.”
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
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@acfou
Augustine Fou

13. 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
Fake Profiles on Facebook
By: Augustine Fou, July 2013
How Display Ad Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, May 2013
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Augustine Fou