Pay-per-click fraud protection
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention provide a fraud prevention method for a pay-per-click data processing system. The method can include receiving a click through for a link in a host site which references a marketed site. The method also can include identifying a link address for the link in the click through. The method yet further can include comparing the identified link address to a modified link address recorded for an actual link address for the marketed site. Finally, the method can include quashing the click through if the identified link address is not the modified link address. Conversely, the method can include redirecting the click through to the marketed site if the identified link address is the modified link address.
1. In a pay-per-click data processing system, a fraud prevention method comprising:
receiving a click through for a link in a host site which references a marketed site;
identifying a link address for said link in said click through;
comparing said identified link address to a modified link address recorded for an actual link address for said marketed site; and,
quashing said click through if said identified link address is not said modified link address.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising redirecting said click through to said marketed site if said identified link address is said modified link address.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising recording said click through in a pay-per-click engine.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeatedly modifying said modified link address recorded for said actual link address.
5. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for pay-per-click fraud prevention, said computer program product including:
computer usable program code for receiving a click through for a link in a host site which references a marketed site;
computer usable program code for identifying a link address for said link in said click through;
computer usable program code for comparing said identified link address to a modified link address recorded for an actual link address for said marketed site; and,
computer usable program code for quashing said click through if said identified link address is not said modified link address.
6. The computer program product of claim 5 , further comprising computer usable program code for redirecting said click through to said marketed site if said identified link address is said modified link address.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising computer usable program code for recording said click through in a pay-per-click engine.
8. The computer program product of claim 5 , further comprising computer usable program code for repeatedly modifying said modified link address recorded for said actual link address.