I'll make a confession… I have had over 60+ Google Ads (and Adwords) accounts suspended.
Part 1: A Brief History of My Google Ads Suspensions
The first suspension was back in 2012 when I first started running ads on Google.
At the time, I was completely broke after losing all of my money on the Forex.
So I decided to use a coupon for $100 on Google Adwords.
Once that coupon was finished, I then create another account, and used another coupon.
At the time, I didn't know that doing this would instantly lead to a suspension. By the end of 2012, I started mastering the art of creating accounts.
Eventually, I had a new account running, but I would need to buy pre-paid credit cards from the bank, and fill them with fake information, in order to advertise on Google.
I must have bought over 20 pre-paid cards of $500 each before deciding this was just a bit ridiculous (even the bank would not sell you more than 3 at a time).
Eventually, I got a new credit card with fresh billing information, and a VPS (virtual private server) from Amazon.
A Suspension Of My Life's Work
By 2013 to 2014, Pay per call marketing was on fire, and I was banking cash HARD.
During that same time, I managed to run over $120k USD in ad spend through the account.
By early 2014, I was in full travel mode through South East Asia, simply logging into my VPS, making a change or 2, logging out, and then continuing on my adventures.
But in March of 2014, I made the mistake of changing the location of my VPS (and login location), from the USA to Asia, and I got hit by the suspension hammer.
By this point, the main offer that everyone was crushing was Pay Per Call “Tech Support”, along with the much more dangerous PPV version.
Getting hit by a suspension, on an account you've generated SO much history, and SO many campaigns (close to 400 campaigns), was a VERY unpleasant hard uppercut to the stomach.
The Google Suspensions War
Nonetheless, from 2014-2016, I would continue to battle with Google on account creations:
- get a new credit card,
- a new domain,
- create a new VPS,
- create 10 accounts until one would work,
- and build it up again into running whatever the latest trending offers were.
But over this time, Google would slowly, but surely start tracking violations and links between accounts much more aggressively.
By the end of 2017, I had an account generating $300-600 daily in profit, and while this was more than enough to enjoy life on, when the money is coming in, the chemical rush in your brain makes you take bigger risks and keep pushing the boundaries.
So one of the offers I tried bidding on was Airline travel calls… and this caused an insta-ban. But this ban was different…
A More Aggressive Suspension Algorithm
Now it was MUCH harder to create a fresh account with my previous method (new CC, VPS, domain, server, billing info, etc).
Furthermore, for every new credit card, I would need to figure out the cash flow, which was a pain in the ass: I would need to pay off a credit card by transferring money through 2 sources, and potentially losing money during the transfer, either through the exchange rate, or through transfer fees – this was obviously not ideal. Nonetheless, I would continue making accounts, and getting them suspended.
Still Gaming The System
By the end of 2018, I had taken a break from Pay Per Call, and decided to try my hand in Ecommerce with Cannabidiol (CBD) oils.
According to the Google Policies, running CBD offers was against their terms and conditions (even though CBD is almost 100% legal in the USA), yet it didn't lead to a suspension.
But their algorithms would scan my site, and determine that it was CBD related, and simply pause my offers, until all CBD-related content was removed.
So what did I do? I simply converted any instance of the word CBD oil into an image 😉
But, after a few weeks of getting away with this method, the account was suspended as well.
So I created another 10+ accounts with different strategies, but by this time, every account was suspended with no hesitation.
Suspension While on the Verge of Making $$$,$$$
While in Mexico in January of 2019, I created a new account, and managed to run a REALLY hot Ecommerce product, and started making good $$$.
But as soon as the account was billed a second time?, it was suspended for “Suspicious Billing information” – this was my mistake for using previously suspended billing information.
This suspension hurt, because it was the most recent, AND because this Ecommerce idea was the most legit, white-hat, growth potential idea I had run in a long time.
My friend who ran the same offer made $10k, while his buddy made $100k in the span of 1 month (I'm not sure about the profit).
I had imagined a future where I would no longer have to fight with google over account suspensions – but that was not to be.
This time, I pleaded with Google as much as I could to get this account unsuspended, because, it was creating a strong brand name… but every time was the same bullshit automated reply…
Thanks for your continued patience during this process. We’ve confirmed that your account is in violation of our Google Ads policies. Since this decision is final, the account will not be reinstated. Please avoid creating additional Google Ads accounts, as they will be subjected to the same suspension. Our support team will not be able to give you any more specifics on the suspension. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
I tried making new accounts, but the Google Algorithm was suspending every single attempt.
Part 2: Google Ads Suspension Help
For a week or 2, I felt hopelessly lost – not being able to grow this money maker, while my buddy continued to make dozens of sales per day.
So I looked far and wide and eventually found a source that ‘alleged' they could help.
Obviously, I was skeptical, but I went with it… anything that could save my new brand, or allow me to create a new account.
After submitting an email, they followed up with a few generic Google Ads suspension-related questions, and a payment option.
I wasn't sure what to make of it, but the source seemed legit, so I paid the fee, and waited.
The Waiting Game, Just Be Patient & Relax
After a few more follow-ups, and an evaluation of my site and Ad account, it was determined that I would need a fresh account.
So within a few days, a new account was setup for me, and I logged in without a VPS as recommended to me.
Then with complete fear at every step, I put in my billing information… both the billing information AND a credit card that has been suspended in the past. And still no red Suspension Banner… so then I plugged in my website, and created a few ads.
So far so good, then I looked at the ads and see the message “We can't determine why your ads aren't showing” – which, in my experience, was a way of Google saying, ‘your account has been suspended'.
I quickly messaged my agent, with hopelessness in my mind… and he just said, ‘it's ok, just be patient, relax'.
And We Are Now Back In Business
Surely enough, after a few hours, the account was running impressions, but then it paused again… then it started running again, and paused again…
After a day or 2 of this, the account was finally running properly, and since then, DESPITE not using a VPS, AND using suspended billing info, AND using a website from a suspended account… I have been able to safely, and cleanly run hundreds of $$$ through the new account!
The offer that I was running is no longer profitable, but I was still left me with a sense of relief, that I could finally get back to running my new brand without any issues.
Part 3: Try To Do No Harm (Buddhism)
If you've managed to read this entire article, thank you.
You now understand my story (atleast with Google Ads), and you've come to the part where YOU obviously need help.
Now, with the service I mentioned, they WILL help you, but you also need to help yourself.
If you want to get back in the game, and start running White Hat offers (anything and everything that isn't trying to scam people out of their money), then I really recommend this service. It's like a second life.
I personally don't intend to run Tech support offers, or Pay per call Travel offers, or try to game the system. You obviously have this choice.
But then there are those who will simply use this service to create another spike of success through shady measures, until they get suspended – each time making it more and more difficult to get back into the game.
In the Christian religion, “thou shalt not kill”, in this context, don't fuck around, but I recommend the Buddhism saying “try not to harm” – which means, try your best… because after all, we are just humans with emotional tendencies.
How To Fix A Google Ads Suspension
Update: I've stopped the service for now to focus on other projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you help me with a “Circumventing the system” issue? – Yes
- Can you help with “misrepresentation?” – Yes
- Can you help with “unacceptable business practices?” – Yes
- Can you help me with a “Billing issue?” – Yes
- Can you help me with “Suspicious Payment Activity?” – Yes
- Can you help me with a suspended Merchant account? – Yes
- Will I be able to run my previous white-hat site on a new account? – Yes
As always, feel free to comment below Your internet marketing buddy Leonidas
The post Help With A Google Ads Suspension & My History of Google Ads Suspensions appeared first on Leonidas Marketing Blog.
