The Vanishing Click-Fraud Case

PreacherTom writes "In March of 2004, a computer programmer arrived at Google's offices with one goal in mind: blackmail. He had invented a program called "Google Clique", which could generate millions of fake clicks to Google's ads. The price to avoid disaster: $150,000. At the time, it didn't end well for the programmer; Google had the police in the next room. However, a few days ago the U.S. Attorney quietly dropped the case. The reason: apparently Google was unwilling to cooperate with prosecutors. Why the odd behavior?"

Comments

*groan*

[voice_of_all_reason]

What's with both the article and summary playing to the channel 5 action stopper team "Why?!?!?" question?

Duh, that's the point of blackmail. You don't show your hand until you have something that will discourage the victim from turning you into the police. Obviously, the guy could've released the method to the public and caused Google more than letting him go.

Re:*groan*

[TubeSteak]

Obviously, the guy could've released the method to the public and caused Google more than letting him go.

I bet Google was more worried about the discovery process than the guy's program.

The guy could really do some damage by requesting all kinds of information which might become public record... information that Google wouldn't want to let out.

Umm..

[OneSmartFellow]

First question: What did they have to gain by persuing it ? not much me thinks

Next question: What did they have to lose by persuing it ? trade secrets, embarassment, other

Analysis: Very predictable.

only 150K?

[elcid73]

I'm curious... if he could generate 30K per month with his program, why only extort for 150K?

Why not just run it for 5 months and call it good?

Because Google makes money off click fraud

[Anonymous Coward]

And prosecuting this case would prove that.

"Do no evil", my ass. Once enough zeros showed up after the crooked number, they've sold out.

Re:Because Google makes money off click fraud

[Aladrin]

Except that if their plan was to profit from his 'fraud', they wouldn't have set him up in the first place. They'd have just 'called his bluff' and let him do it.

Instead, they chose to have him arrested and let the world know about his scheme. We don't know WHY they chose not to prosecute, but I seriously doubt it has anything to do with being evil.