Google Ads Account Suspended for Malicious Software? You’re Not Alone.

  • Are you losing money every day your ads are offline?

  • Did you try creating multiple Google ads accounts — and got suspended again?

  • Do you feel like you’re beating your head against a brick wall?

When Google flags your ads or suspends your account due to malicious software, it means that their system has identified potentially harmful elements on your website.

Understanding Legitimate vs. False Flags

Determining whether Google has genuinely detected malware on your site or if they are flagging a software element they dislike can be challenging. Occasionally, they mistakenly flag sites for this policy violation.

It’s important to consider the possibility that there might be malicious content on your website or that it could have been compromised.

Legitimate flags for malicious software often stem from hacked websites, where harmful software is injected by unauthorized individuals without your awareness.

On the flip side, false flags can happen when Google misinterprets compliance issues or mistakes certain elements as threats. For example, our team faced a scenario where a client’s payment processor system triggered a flag due to specific code injection.

Despite the code being harmless, adjustments were needed to align with Google’s standards.

Navigate Beyond Your Suspension with Confidence

We have seen businesses improve their chances of reinstatement by adhering to the following guidelines. It’s not just about following rules; it’s about positioning your appeal for success.

Don’t yell at Google

It’s incredibly frustrating to be told that you can’t advertise and to get zero details about why or how you can fix it.

But — yelling at Google via phone or email will hurt your case.

The Google representatives you interact with are NOT the people who decided to suspend your account, and they are also NOT the people who will decide to reinstate it.

They’re just trying to do their job, sometimes with limited training about Google’s policies.

So always try to approach the situation with respect.

Be Careful about Hiring an “Expert” from Fiverr, Upwork, etc.

There are individuals who advertise via gig platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork that they will help get Google Ads accounts unsuspended.

Some of these individuals may be legitimate, but we’ve also seen some suspension problems compounded by “experts” from these platforms who have tried and failed to get clients back on Google.

Approach with care, and vet anyone you work with in this space. Look for reviews from real businesses they helped get back online.

Don’t Submit Appeal after Appeal

Google doesn’t have an official limit on the number of appeals that you can submit, but the more unsuccessful appeals you submit, the less likely it is that your next appeal will be reviewed.

Google expects you to submit new, relevant information if you resubmit an appeal. “Spamming” the appeal form will make your life worse.

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The Key to Overcoming a Malicious Software Suspension

At StubGroup, we specialize in navigating the complexities of Google Ads account suspensions for malicious software.

That’s why we’re here to help.

If you are struggling with a ad disapproval for this type of policy issue, here are some ways to address it.

  • Utilize third-party scanning tools to look for malicious or outdated software, broken links, and redirects.

  • Enact 2-Step Verification on your Google Ads account, change your passwords, and update your website security.

  • If your account has been compromised, take the necessary steps to report this to Google and clean up the damages done in the account before you appeal your case.

Steps to Take to Avoid Malicious Software Policy Violations

Even if an issue may not pose a genuine threat, keeping your website security and software up to date is important to mitigate the risk of being flagged for one of these issues. Here are some precautions you can take to avoid this type of policy issue:

Frequently perform scans on your website to check for security issues or malicious links. There are a lot of vendor websites that can perform these scans for you and send you reports.

Update your security and software as often as possible to prevent hackers from compromising your website.

Monitor your plugins and use reputable sources when choosing a website platform to mitigate the risk of potential vulnerabilities.

It’s good practice to regularly change your passwords across your advertising accounts and tools. You can also use a password manager to help monitor any leaks.

Turn Your Suspension Around with StubGroup

Don’t let a malicious software suspension derail your online ad efforts. StubGroup has a proven track record of resolving suspension issues, see how we’ve helped clients like you.

We Fix All Types of Google Ads and Google Merchant Center Suspensions

Suspended For Counterfeit Goods?

This means Google considers that your ads, website or app mimic the brand features of a product in an attempt to pass themselves off as a genuine product of the brand owner.

Suspended For Malicious Software?

This means Google considers that your ads and site or app either hosts or links to malicious or unwanted software, regardless of whether the software is promoted through the Google advertising network.

Suspended For Suspicious Payments?

This means Google considers that your account’s payment activity has been suspicious or fraudulent.

Suspended For Circumventing Systems?

This means Google considers that you engaged or attempted to engage in practices that circumvent or interfere with Google’s advertising systems and processes.

Google Merchant Center Suspension?

This means your Merchant Center account has been temporarily blocked from advertising due to violations such as counterfeit goods, misrepresentation, or policy non-compliance, impacting your ability to run ads.

Suspended For Unacceptable Business Practices?

This means Google considers that you’re scamming users by concealing or misstating information about your business, products or services, or that your ad destinations use “phishing” techniques to gather user information.

Find Out If We Can Help You

Every Google Ads suspension is unique, so let’s discuss your situation and if/how we can help


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Frequently Asked Questions About Google Ads Suspensions

You need to identify what Google has flagged as a problem, fix that problem, and then submit a respectful and detailed appeal to Google.

That sounds easy but it can be incredibly hard because Google won’t tell you exactly what the problem is. That’s why StubGroup offers our expertise to help get legitimate advertisers reinstated.

If your account gets compromised it could lead to a suspension. To avoid this, here are some steps you can take to secure your account:

  1. Set up a strong password
  2. Regularly update your password
  3. Set up 2-factor Authentication
  4. Ensure that your email address and password are secure
  5. Set up security notifications with Google
  6. Secure your billing information that’s associated with your account

There is no official limit, but from our experience, the more appeals you submit, the harder it will be to get Google to continue to review them.

That’s why you need to be thorough to fix every potential problem before you submit an appeal, and be detailed in the appeal that you submit to explain exactly what you did to address the problem.

Google offers phone support for technical problems, but those representatives are not on the policy team and they don’t have access to details about why your account was suspended.

Phone support can be helpful for things like following up to request the status of a ticket you filed, or having them check your website for any links that are flagged as malicious. But when it comes to decision makers and people who know why your account is suspended, Google has built a firewall between that team and Google partners and advertisers.

Since 2013, StubGroup’s expert team of suspension specialists has been helping suspended advertisers get back online with Google Ads. We understand how “life and death” circumventing systems suspensions can be for a healthy, active Google Ads account, so if your account is suspended and you’re looking for immediate help to get back online, let’s talk.

Because every suspension and advertiser is unique, we evaluate each suspension situation independently. Sometimes that means we have to tell you we don’t see a path forward for you to advertise with Google again. Other times the root problem is solvable and we’re able to work with you and Google to resolve Google’s concerns and get you back online.

Throughout the entire process, we will be direct and transparent with you and ask that you be the same with us. We don’t have time for advertisers who are trying to trick Google and who knowingly violate Google’s policies. But if you’re operating a legitimate business and simply need help navigating and resolving Google’s sometimes complex policy requirements, we’re here to help!