Normal content sites have certain characteristics -- e.g. users typically find them via search. Fraudulent or suspicious websites have unusual characteristics.

1. Characteristics of Normal
Sites vs Suspect Ones
Dr. Augustine Fou
October 2013
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Augustine Fou

2. Bad Guy Websites
“Modernbaby.com and Interiorcomplex.com
Each of these sites peddles enormous traffic on the
exchanges. For example, on a recent day Modern
Baby was offering 19 million impressions via one
exchange (quite the baby boom) and Interior
Complex 30 million [ad impressions PER DAY] (the
roaring housing market must be back).”
Source:
Adweek – Suspicious Web Domains Cost Online Ad
Business $400m per Year
By Mike Shields
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Augustine Fou

3. TravelandLeisure.com
Source: Quantcast
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Augustine Fou

4. InteriorComplex.com
Source: Compete
Source: Quantcast
Source: Alexa
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Quantcast: 29k /mo uniques
Compete: 42k /mo uniques
Augustine Fou

5. ModernBaby.com
Source: Quantcast
Source: Compete
[ NO DATA ]
Source: Alexa
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Quantcast: no data
Compete: 20k /mo uniques
Augustine Fou

6. Disconnect
InteriorComplex.com - independent
measurements estimate 29-40k monthly
unique visitors but site sells 30 MILLION ad
impressions PER DAY in ad exchanges
ModernBaby.com - independent
measurements estimate 20k monthly unique
visitors but site sells 19 MILLION ad
impressions PER DAY in ad exchanges
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Augustine Fou

7. TravelandLeisure.com
Source: Quantcast
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Augustine Fou

8. InteriorComplex.com
Source: Quantcast
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Augustine Fou

9. TravelandLeisure.com
Source: Quantcast
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Augustine Fou

10. InteriorComplex.com
[ NO DATA ]
Source: Quantcast
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Augustine Fou

11. Where Visitors Come From
Users typically find
sites via search; about
25% of a site’s traffic
should come from
search.
Source: Alexa
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Augustine Fou

12. Loaded with Ads
http://modernbaby.com/
http://interiorcomplex.com/
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Augustine Fou