Google AdWords Used by Rogue Pharmacies
Google has filed a civil action in Federal Court against fifty-two individuals alleged to have violated the terms of AdWords to promote fraudulent drug sales.
In a complaint filed in Federal Court in San Jose, CA, Google “seeks to stop rogue online pharmaceutical sellers” from using Google’s AdWords advertising network. Two defendants, Omar Jackman and John Doe “Simon” were named, and 50 others are “individuals whose true identities and locations are unknown.”
Google states in the complaint that “Google prohibits the promotion of online pharmacies and prescription drugs except under specific circumstances. Google allows ads targeting the United States to promote online pharmacy websites only if the advertised website is verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (“VIPPS”) program.
Google has filed a civil action in Federal Court against fifty-two individuals alleged to have violated the terms of AdWords to promote fraudulent drug sales.
Partnership for Safe Medicines received a copy of the complaint filed September 21, 2010 in Federal Court in San Jose, CA, in which Google “seeks to stop rogue online pharmaceutical sellers” from using Google’s AdWords advertising network. Two defendants, Omar Jackman and John Doe “Simon” were named, and 50 others are “individuals whose true identities and locations are unknown.”
Google states in the complaint that “Google prohibits the promotion of online pharmacies and prescription drugs except under specific circumstances. Google allows ads targeting the United States to promote online pharmacy websites only if the advertised website is verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (“VIPPS”) program. VIPPS is a third-party verification program with stringent criteria to ensure that the website complies with applicable laws regarding the handling, sale and shipping of prescription drugs.”
Google went on to say that, “Some advertisers have circumvented Google’s policies and practices, Google’s third-party certification requirements, and Google’s efforts to identify and remove offending ads. Rogue advertisers also have defied Google’s prohibition on the use of prescription-drug-related keywords by non-approved advertisers.”
The defendants are not verified by VIPPS. In order to run their advertisements, they circumvented technological measures the company uses to enforce its policies.
Google is seeking $75,000 in damages. It claims that the rogue pharmacies have caused the company to create software to unearth the violators of AdWords Terms and Conditions.