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How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

xlii.space

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Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've found that if you attach any pictures at all: rejected. So what I've taken to doing is adding the business without photos (almost always accepted), and then trying to attach the photos later after that goes live (mostly works). But I agree, their process is completely broken, and I doubt they have any incentive to fix it.

Question here then, is when will we see a competitor enter the market who both cares about getting it right and is actually able to compete with google maps

Before Google maps, map services used to be super expensive. You can't compete with free beer. You would need to disrupt Googles main business first in order to even out the playing field.

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#202
post #72

When you search "us passport" or "tsa precheck" on Google, you constantly see promoted ad results impersonating government sites (ie passportvisarush.com or easegov.com) extracting and selling your PII (social security number, etc) from your application. I've reported the ads multiple times, but new ones still end up being promoted. I'm sure these companies have mined and sold thousands of SSN/address/DOB info from u…

These are not illegitimate. They are registered 3rd parties facilitating the government. At least the ones that are on the list are not.

I got one from passportsfast or something. Highly recommended (if it's registered)

> https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/get-fast/courier...

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#203
post #72

When you search "us passport" or "tsa precheck" on Google, you constantly see promoted ad results impersonating government sites (ie passportvisarush.com or easegov.com) extracting and selling your PII (social security number, etc) from your application. I've reported the ads multiple times, but new ones still end up being promoted. I'm sure these companies have mined and sold thousands of SSN/address/DOB info from u…

I hope you realize that there are legitimate third-party services which assist with passport applications and filing paperwork, generally in the capacity as a courier. Similarly, in my state and others, there are third-party services which operate as storefronts in under-served communities, that provide services as the DMV office would. So it is unclear how you determine that they are definitely scams, unless you hav…

The underlying government services are hard to access _because_ middlemen stand to profit from providing assistance.

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#204
post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ryanair admittedly wins on price and regulatory setup in EU provides guarantees that planes are safe. Yes, Ryanair stole 100 euro from me once, but if next flight is 50 to 250 euro cheaper than competition... I did some big projects motivated entirely by spite (project was overall helpful, but I would not do this if someone would be less nasty). But I still would use Ryanair.

> Yes, Ryanair stole 100 euro from me once, but if next flight is 50 to 250 euro cheaper than competition... I swore off them a few years ago. Plane started boarding around when it was due to land. We got on, seeing about 3cm of snow around. It went to the runway, whereupon the weather wasn't good enough so the plane waited. And waited. And waited. And then the pilot turned off internal power because we were waiting…

In this specific story you have general Ryanair shittiness but from what I see 80% of annoyance would be the same with other companies.

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#206
post #50
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple Maps maybe?

Apple Maps is much better in my experience. I've never had an update rejected.

but then again Apple Maps seems (certainly here in London) to be absolutely full of geofraud entries and out of date slop, such as small businesses with linked websites that have been shuttered for years, and strange businesses located in the middle of playing fields, parks and lakes.

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#207

Google has forgotten the plot. A quick tangent story follows: I attempted to add a Tesla Supercharger as it went live to Google Maps. I was the very first to pay to recharge at the new location. The process went something like this: 1st time: Uploaded 4 photos, local business info, current charger prices, and GPS coordinates. Google replied this would be sent to human review. It was rejected within 6 minutes. 2nd att…

I have had zero luck trying to get gMaps updated to remove an imaginary address they added for my garage. I might as well just put up extra address numbers and another mailbox.

Re: How I advertise malicious software on Google Ads

#209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a strategy. Ask RyanAir. They systematically shut down any way to communicate with them, except lawsuits. Tried their chatbot, hotline, email, letter, fax, small claims court (I’m not joking they don’t even care about that). Unless you turn up with a court order and confiscate a plane, they simply won’t give a fuck, and I’m sure it’s a tactic to deter 99% of their problems before they start

These companies have correctly figured out that customers will still give them money, even if they provide no customer support, are actively hostile to their customers, and only respond to lawsuits. Such a weird timeline we are on! People willingly do business with companies who are actively against them.

> People willingly do business with companies who are actively against them.

The banking industry has been hostile toward poor people for ages. When I was in my early 20s, an employee at a bank let me open a savings account without meeting the minimum balance for an instant penalty.

Of course, I'd get that shit reversed on that person's dereliction of duty to warn me when we were discussing how much I'd allocate to it if it happened today, but I was young and dumb and didn't know how to stand up for myself at the time. This was early 2000s, so hardly a recent change.

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