When large insurance companies spend tens of millions on search ads per year, on very expensive keywords, they are a prime target for bad guys who can rip them off using proven fraudulent techniques. See the screenshots.

1. Insurance Brands
Suffering Ad Fraud
Dr. Augustine Fou
http://linkd.in/augustinefou
acfou @mktsci .com
November 2013
-1-
Augustine Fou

2. Executive Summary
• Insurance companies are among the biggest spenders
in digital ads, specifically paid search ads, which
were widely considered the most efficient way to get
prospective customers.
• Estimated spending:
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Statefarm.com - $46M /yr
Geico.com - $44M annually
Progressive.com - $34M /year
Esurance.com - $28M per year
Allstate.com - $25 million /yr
USAA.com - $21M annually
Augustine Fou

3. Statefarm.com
Most expensive keywords
-3-
Source: iSpionage Nov 2013
Augustine Fou

4. StateFarm Search Ad
http://www.beesq.net/
find.php?keyword=statefarm+insurance&
submit=
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Augustine Fou

5. StateFarm Landing Page
http://www.statefarm.com/agent/US/LA/
Haughton/Buster-Constanz iCJ5701YS000
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Augustine Fou

6. Geico.com
Most expensive keywords
-6-
Source: iSpionage Nov 2013
Augustine Fou

7. Geico Search Ad
http://be stcolonanswers.com
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Augustine Fou

8. Geico Landing Page
http://www.geico.co
m/landingpage/go27
2.htm?soa= 58535
-8-
Augustine Fou

9. Progressive.com
Most expensive keywords
Source: iSpionage Nov 2013
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Augustine Fou

10. Progressive Search Ad
http://besthealthopini on.com
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Augustine Fou

11. Progressive Landing Pg
http://www.progressive.co
m/lp/ps-generic-auto-credefault/?code=9003849007
&se=Bing&cmp=GEN%20
%20CW%20Network&adg
r=LOC%20%20INS&kwd=insurance%
20quotes%20in&srcfrc=tru
e&mt= p&jsf=65af5caad92d-4c66-aa5b2dd06a7beed4:24749
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Augustine Fou

12. Esurance.com
Most expensive keywords
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Source: iSpionage Nov 2013
Augustine Fou

13. Esurance App (search result)
http://
lh3.ggpht.com/sBdymNqfJhNnkvZWsznMgq6bPLgDjJsbtrzdsjrzG4u_px6cd
j5MDsGEHRb0JMMR34=w200
- 13 -
Augustine Fou

14. AllState.com
Most expensive keywords
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Source: iSpionage Nov 2013
Augustine Fou

15. AllState.com Search Ad
Findcanc erresource.com
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Augustine Fou

16. AllState.com Landing
http://call.allstate.com/all
state_bing_msnkwallstat
einsuranceexact/?CMP=
KNC-MSN-035655131101:allstate+insuranc
e&Campaign=44444000
0035655&_vsrefdom=m
snkwallstateinsuranceexa
ct&mchxkw=allstate%20
insurance_e_{adposition
}_c
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Augustine Fou

17. Search Ad Fraud
Backgrounder
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Augustine Fou

18. How Click Fraud Works
“vacuum cleaner” keyword
Walmart search ad
Bot clicks through
to walmart.com
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Augustine Fou

19. Pass Fake URL Trackers
http://www.olay.com/skincare-products/OlayProX?utm_source=msn&utm
_medium=cpc&utm_camp
aign=Olay_Search_Deskto
p_Category+Interest+Prod
uct.Phrase&utm_term=eye
%20cream&utm_content=
TZsrSzFz_eye%20cream_
p_2990456911
passing fake
source/referrer
- 19 -
Augustine Fou

20. Other Bad Guy Domains
http://analyzecanceradvice .com
http://analyzecancerhelp .com
http://bestcanceropinion .com
http://bestcancerproducts .com
http://bestcancerresults .com
http://besthealthopinion .com
http://bettercanceradvice .com
http://bettercancerhelp .com
http://betterhealthopinion .com
http://findcanceropinion .com
http://findcancerresource .com
http://findcancertopics .com
http://findhealthopinion .com
http://finestcanceradvice .com
http://finestcancerhelp .com
http://finestcancerresults .com
http://getcancerproducts .com
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96,000+ more
sites like these,
designed to show
search ads and
self-click on them
to steal CPC ad
dollars
Augustine Fou

21. Digital Ad Forensics Process
Preliminary Scan
Sizing of
ad fraud
Forensic Analysis
Maintenance
• Technology Tools
• Statistical analysis
• Budget shifts
• Further optimization
Implementation
FREE
$$$
Preliminary analysis of
paid campaigns and
analytics to determine
magnitude of the ad
fraud impacting client.
Creating recommended
list of changes,
including list of sites to
exclude in each ad
channel.
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$
Subscribe to triangulated,
cross-industry database of
“ad fraud offenders” to
continuously update
blacklists and whitelists.
Augustine Fou

22. Related Articles
Digital Ad Fraud Briefing
By: Augustine Fou December 2013
Fake YouTube Videos
By: Augustine Fou, December 2013
How Display Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, May 2013
Fake Linkedin Profiles
By: Augustine Fou, December 2013
How Click Fraud Works
By: Augustine Fou, November 2013
Fake Facebook Profiles
By: Augustine Fou, Dec 2013
The Magnitude of Digital Ad Fraud
By: Augustine Fou, November 2013
Fake Twitter Accounts
By: Augustine Fou, August 2013
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Augustine Fou

23. Dr. Augustine Fou – Digital Forensics
“I advise clients on optimizing
advertising across all channels. Using
advanced technical forensic techniques
and custom tchnology tools, we detect
and mitigate ad fraud and waste.”
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

24. More Bad Guy Sites
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Augustine Fou

25. More Identical Sites
http://picturesandbox.com/screengrab/grid.php
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Augustine Fou

26. Dozens of Identical Sites
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6
7
3
8
4
5
9
http://picturesandbox.com/screengrab/grouped.php#
10
11
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12
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14
15
16
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Augustine Fou