Having your Google Ads suspended for suspicious payment can be a frightening and frustrating experience. Sending appeals does not appear effective because there is still no concrete reason for the ban. Let’s find out about the reasons for a ban and the steps that could help you solve Google Ads suspicious payment issues.
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What does “suspicious payments in your account” mean?
Google Ads suspicious payment activity means there is a problem with your payment method or information; try to figure out the trouble and solve it immediately.
“Your account is suspended – we’ve detected suspicious payments in your account.”
If you see this red notice when you open your Google Ads account, maybe you don’t want to hear this, but now you can no longer use it to run ads, and it’s not that easy to lift the ban.
Why Google Ads account suspended for suspicious payment
Problems with payment methods are a common cause of suspensions. Below are some reasons for Google account was suspended due to suspicious activity:
- Credit card linked to another suspended Google Ads account
- Cardholder’s name doesn’t match the account name
- The credit card address doesn’t match the address in your account
- Your bank has blocked your card
- Unpaid Google Ads bill
Credit card linked to another suspended Google Ads account
Most likely because your account shared payment information with another suspended account. There are two important cases to emphasize here:
- The other account(s) could have been suspended a while ago
- The other account(s) could have been suspended for any other reason or not necessary for payment problems.
Assume you have the same debit card as another advertiser that sells counterfeit items. Your account may be suspended if Google discovers it is associated with unethical advertising.
Cardholder’s name doesn’t match the account name
The billing name in your Google Ads account should match the cardholder name on the payment card. The suspension reason could be a conflict between your Google billing details and your bank’s information.
The credit card address doesn’t match the address in your account
When using a company credit card, you must enter the official company address and zip code into the account. If you’re using a personal credit card, you must enter your personal information into your billing address.
Your bank has blocked your card
It’s possible that Google hasn’t received your most recent payment because your bank has blocked it. If you use a credit card outside of your nation or region, your bank may cancel the transaction due to suspicious behavior on your card. Check billing – payments to ensure that all past invoices have been paid.
Unpaid Google Ads bill
If you do not pay your advertising costs on time, your account will stop running until you do so. Consider and review any previous Google accounts you may have had: Google Merchant Center, YouTube, AdSense, etc. In this case, however, you’ll receive a different message, “Your service has been suspended due to unpaid invoices”.
You must pay the outstanding balance, contact Google support at https://support.google.com/, and provide evidence of payment. Alternatively, you wait a few days after making the payment, and they will automatically restore the account once they receive it.
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How to reactivate a Google Ads account suspended for suspicious payment
If your Google account has been suspended due to suspicious payment activity, you can take the following steps to try and reactivate it:
Review Google Ads policies to identify the problem
When reactivating a suspended Google Ads account, it’s important to review the Google Ads policies to understand the reason for the suspension and ensure that you are fully aware of the guidelines going forward. The Google Ads policies cover a wide range of topics, including payment, ad content, and landing pages.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when reviewing the policies:
- Read the relevant policy: The specific policy led to your account suspension. Google Ads provides a list of policies that can result in suspension, so it should be easy to find the one that applies to your case.
- Pay attention to details: The detailed policy can be lengthy, so pay close attention to all the requirements and restrictions.
- Understand the consequences: It’s important to understand the consequences of violating the policies, including account suspension or termination.
- Make changes: If necessary, make any changes to your account, campaigns, or ads to ensure that you follow the policies going forward.
Unfortunately, many innocent advertisers are subjected to Google’s policies. So, what should we do?
Address the issue
Identify and resolve the issue that caused the suspension, whether related to payment or some other violation of the policies. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Identify the issue: Make sure you understand what caused the suspension, whether related to payment, ad content, landing pages, or another issue.
- Verify your account: Depending on the issue, you may have to verify your account information, such as your business name, address, and phone number.
- Fix violations: If your account was suspended due to violations of Google Ads policies, correct the violations and take steps to ensure that they won’t happen again.
- Document your actions: Keep a record of the steps you’ve taken to address the issue, as this information may be helpful when you submit a request to Google Ads support.
By addressing the underlying issue, you can demonstrate to Google Ads that you’ve taken steps to resolve the problem and that your account is in good standing.
Provide updated information
It’s important to provide updated information to Google Ads, if necessary. This includes updating your billing information and payment method to ensure that it’s accurate and up to date.
- Update billing information: Make sure that your billing information, such as your business name, address, and phone number, is accurate and up to date.
- Use a legitimate payment method: Make sure your payment method is legitimate and in your name or the name of your business.
- Avoid using prepaid debit or gift cards: Google Ads does not accept prepaid debit or gift cards as a form of payment, so make sure to use a different payment method.
- Avoid using multiple payment methods: Google Ads may also flag multiple payment methods linked to the same account as suspicious, so try to use just one payment method for your account.
By providing updated information, you can show Google Ads that your account is in good standing and following its policies. This can help increase your chances of getting your account back.
Appeal the Account Suspension for suspicious payment to Google Ads Team
If you think your case is none of the above and can’t identify the issue, your only solution is to appeal to Google Support.
- Contact Google Ads: Call phone numbers (1-800-121-8000) to get assistance from them. Let them know if you haven’t defaulted when you file your appeal.
- Submit an appeal immediately: To proceed, fill out the Google Ads official appeal form and click the submit button. They will review your appeal and contact you within three working days. After that, a specialist will help you resolve your account’s problems.
Note: Google Ads support may take several days to review your request and respond. Keep in mind that account reactivation is not guaranteed, and Google may choose to terminate your account if the issue is not resolved permanently. Therefore, the Google Ads account suspended suspicious payments issue is a serious problem.
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Key takeaways
Due to suspicious payments, Google has recently suspended numerous ad accounts, particularly new ones. However, it’s important to note that this is not your fault. Before creating an ad account, there are several things to consider:
- Avoid using a debit/credit card that has already been associated with a different Google Ad account.
- Enter the billing information that matches the card and account details, including your address and name.
- Ensure that the currency of your debit/credit card matches the currency of your Google Ads account.
- Never create a new account using the same email with a suspension
- No virtual cards.
- If you are creating an account for a client abroad, having them log in and enter the billing details themselves is best. If using a VPS is not an option, you can enter the details through a child access account.
Final thoughts
People often have difficulty dealing with Google Ads suspended suspicious payment issues but don’t know how to solve them correctly. We hope this guide will help your Google Ads account reactivate after being suspended due to suspicious payment activity. Take your time and be patient; there will be no quick fix.
