Have you experienced an unauthorized access issue with your AdSense Account?

Unfortunately, even for AdSense publishers, there’s always the risk of an unauthorized source compromising your secure login credentials. In these instances, you might be locked out of your AdSense account. Here’s what you can do to recover your account and avoid the same issue in the future:

For starters, these triggers can help you identify if your account has been compromised.  

• You’ve noticed suspicious account activity (for example: there are new users that you haven’t granted access to; the payment details have changed without your permission; your security settings have been updated; and your email notification settings have changed).
• You cannot login to your AdSense account.

 If you’ve found that your account has been compromised, follow these steps to resolve the issue:

1. Run a malware scan on your devices
2. Visit our Login Troubleshooter. If you’re locked out of your account, the troubleshooter will help you recover your Google Account. Once you’ve recovered your Google Account: 
• Change your password to something unique and unused. Here’s tips on how to create strong password.
• Visit myaccount.google.com to review your security settings
• Enable 2-Step-Verification.  
3. Then, the troubleshooter will take you to the Account login issues form, which will direct you to an AdSense account issues specialists.  
• The specialist will start an investigation and communicate next steps (including the investigation report and reimbursement options). 
• For a speedy resolution, be sure to include the following with the form as accurately as possible: 
• Proof of your identity and address using acceptable documents.
• Proof of a recent AdSense payment, such as a copy of a check, Western Union receipt or bank statement clearly showing a recent AdSense EFT deposit.
• The URL of a test page of your website. This is to prove that you own and manage the domain listed in your account.

It’s important to note that the Account login issues form cannot be used to report disputes between authorized users. The administrator of the account is responsible for all user permissions. In general, it’s a best practice to remove former employees and inactive users from your account to help prevent unauthorized changes.  

Unfortunately, in some cases with ongoing security concerns, account reinstatement may not be possible. The AdSense specialist team will let you know if this is the case. 

We understand that compromised login credentials may be a huge problem for you and your business. Bookmark these valuable help resources to help retrieve a hijacked account:

• Can't log in? Here's how to solve the five most common issues
• What can I do if I think my Google Account has been compromised?
• Login issues
• Login troubleshooter

If you have questions about this topic, join us on Twitter or Google+ for one of our #AskAdSense office hour sessions. 

Posted by: Hievda Ugur, from the AdSense Team