Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check
If I tried, I couldn’t make up a story like this. First, there was the problem, then, there was the solution, and now comes the comedy. I hope you’re wearing your laughing pants.
Catching everyone up to date quickly:
- Google Adsense technical gitch screwed up my address change for a month
- The check is already six weeks overdue per Google’s schedule
- I chatted with them via email for a week
- Result, I must wait until the check is redeposited in my Adsense account and whatever monthly check issuing cycle that hits is when I get a new check sent out (maybe July, maybe August)
- I blogged about the experience
- Matt Cutts from Google stopped by, tipped his white hat and passed the case to someone in Adsense management
- A day later my check was sent via FedEx
So, today I go to cash the check. I’m standing at the teller window, and realize, gee - this is taking a long time. She looks up at me and says, “There aren’t sufficient funds in the account to cover your check.” *stunned silence* I say, “Excuse me, could you repeat that?” She does. My reaction?
First, denial and disbelief. I say, “Are you sure? Do you know who Google is? You’re kidding me, right?” She says she does know who Google is, but that this particular account doesn’t have enough funds to cover my check. I’m too stunned to move. I look down at the check handled back to me and look back up at her confused.
Next, shock and awe. I say to the teller, “How does a gazillionaire company like Google have a bank account with so little money in it?” She laughs. I laugh. What else is there to do?
Finally, the teller suggests I call someone. I stare at my mobile phone realizing I don’t have any numbers for any of the people I’ve spoken to at Google. She says, “Call the number on the check.” Great idea! So, I do.
It’s the main inbound number at Google. The Voicemail Lady and I have an exchange. You all know her voice.
Voicemail Lady: If you know the extension of the person you’d like to reach, dial it now followed by the pound sign.
Me: Nope, I don’t know any extension numbers.
Voicemail Lady: Press 8 to dial by name.
Me: Great! Pressing 8. *whistling to myself a bit*
Voicemail Lady: Please enter the first few letters of the last name.
Me: Hmmmmm, Brian the payments operations guy probably won’t work as a name in this system. That’s the result of Google’s employee privacy policy. I don’t know the guy’s last name. I know, Matt Cutts! Surely, Matt can get me transfered to Brian the payments operations guy or someone else. I type in Cutts.
Voicemail Lady: Please enter more characters.
Me: More characters for his last name? Or should I start on his first name, now? I’ll do both alternatively until some combo works.
Voicemail Lady: Please enter more characters.
Me: Entering Cutts, Matt.
Voicemail Lady: That userid is not valid. Goodbye.
So, finally I get over the enter more characters hurdle and hear what I believe was Matt’s voice - sternly.
Matt: This voicemail box is not active. It is not checked on a regular basis. Do not leave messages in this voicemail box. Beep.
So, I call back having heard an option given by the Voicemail Lady for customer service.
Voicemail Lady: For customer service/technical help press 5.
Me: I’m so there!
Voicemail Lady: (gives options 1 & 2) Press 3 for all other questions.
Me: Done.
Voicemail Lady: As Google does not currently authorize customer support, please see our website.
Me: Doh!
Google sent me a bad check! Now what?
I’m sure this is a result of someone trying to do something outside the normal and timed operations of this huge monolithic organization, but still…. WTF?
LMAO!!! Love the hysterical reenactment!!!
Matt Cutts’s surname is too short for Google’s internal telephone system. Who knew?! Is this the first cheque from Google that ever bounced? This is history…
[…] Adsense Nonsense 2.0, Google writes a bad check […]
I’ve already seen people discussing this internally, so they’re checking into what happened. Sorry that you got an extra dose of comedy that you no doubt didn’t want.
Nice comment, Mr. Cutts. Thanks for stepping up.
Of course, on the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog, so how do we know this is THE Matt Cutts of Google who tried to help our poor blogger out? Could that post be from an anonymous party trying to raise false hopes?
Finally, that Google (and Yahoo, and AOL, and others) don’t ever offer the option to talk to a human being is just, plain STOOPID. It alienates your customers, and drives them to your competition. It’s simply penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Carol Anne,
Matt is Matt. I know, because 1)Brian the Adsense operations management guy told me that Matt contacted him, 2)I left a comment on Matt’s blog which is why he came back here. Please don’t bash the one guy who is helping when he didn’t have to. Thank you, Matt.
What a story you have
Notes 1. Passing a bad check is a felony. Depending on the state you live in you are entitled to charge fees to google for having bounced the check to you. 2 if you can’t reach someone att google there is the local DA, (a crime has been commited.) most DA’s would love to be on the front page.
May be adsense had a certain process and steps for issuing and sending checks, and in order to solve your problem they had to ignore some of these steps which caused the problem ..
it’s still weired and kinda funny
@Carol:
Google, although a very large company in market cap, tries to maintain a smaller number of employees. If they had a call center devoted to fielding the issues associated with their services it would bite into profits instead they devote an automated system that works for around 99.8% [-pulled out of thin air] of the correspondences. The issue is the remaining 0.2% and the unfortunate reality is that every year long time google users fall into this 0.2%. Frequently they are far less vocal and just vanish after aggravated useless correspondences with low level employees.
My recommendation for Matt would be to eliminate the scripted CSR and hire/train employees to understand what CS situations require immediate escalation and a bending of the rules. The real issue here is no longer google’s payment system but it is instead the insidious creeping of corporate policy ruling out over good business practice. Probably the largest threat to google at all.
Deposit the check into your ATM so they won’t run the check in front of you.
It’d be great to see a snapshot of the NSF stamp on the Google check
This is why I would recommend that you take advantage of their wire transfer program, much less hassle, especially for us Canadians (some banks wants 30 business days to clear US checks, yep. 1.5 months. Why? Because they can be canceled for quite some time so the bank likes to err on the side of caution). Once a wire shows up it is yours. Plus you don’t have to worry about your address/etc.
Google writes a bad check…
This story has been submitted to Stirrdup. Your support can help it become hot….
First of all, most banks require that you have the amount in your checking or savings in order to cash the check just in case the check doesnt clear(my bank does that anyways). Why didnt you just deposit it into your bank account, I bet that would have worked.
I know its Matt because…well, just because. I work for his webhost.
Thanks Matt. It’s nice to know there are real people at giant corporations willing to go the extra mile to fix a problem they could have walked away from.
As the brits would say, “Jolly good show ole chap”.
[…] Heh heh. […]
Great story. It supports my theory that even though these conglomerate companies have some of the smartest people in the world working for them, operationally they’re clusters.
It’s amazing what will get Google’s attention. I’ve been trying for over a month to get any response at all from Matt Cutts about an issue with an unknown penalty that Google has on our company’s website. That’s Matt’s area, but he doesn’t have the time to look into the problem or even respond (nor does anyone else at Google). But every now and then some obscure thing in a blog manages to get his attention while the rest of us are ignored.
I don’t know how it works in the US, but here in europe if a check is bounced twice the company or person is blocked by a period of time of using checks… the losses that will overcome from this will make them do no evil, as they always like to say.
its good to know that if I ever need customer support from Google all I have to do is blog about it.
@Ian
“Google, although a very large company in market cap, tries to maintain a smaller number of employees. If they had a call center devoted to fielding the issues associated with their services it would bite into profits instead they devote an automated system…”
Are we supposed to feel sorry for Google because they wouldn’t be able keep their profits high if they have to open call centers for Adsense problems?
Boo hoo. Sorry, but I don’t agree. If they want to use automated lines, then make Adsense perfect. Otherwise, get some people in there to help out your paying customers.
Adsense is a for-profit business, and Google SHOULD have a support center to handle any and all issues related to any payment processing. If you are trying to get money that is owed to you, a company should have a way for you to contact a live representative. Otherwise, don’t offer those services or expect backlash from paying customers (or worse, expect them to move to competitors).
We are not talking about a complaint of one of the many free Google services. This is the exchange of real money.
Auction the check on eBay!
This made up story is so full of wholes it isn’t funny. After working in the banking industry for over 20 years there are so many wholes that prove this story is 100% BS.
1. The only way the teller would be able to access the information about Google’s account is if depositor banked at the same bank as google (not necessarily the same branch, but the same branch).
2. Google would likely have corporate accounts. With their banking volume they would have overdraft automatically in place on their accounts as a blanket courtesy of the bank.
3. In the event that there was no overdraft, typically a bank would have the account flagged and a small cheque like the one in this story would be put through out of courtesy to the banks major client.
4. He mentions he isn’t sure who to call about the cheque, yet all cheques must be signed. That might have been a good place to start?
I must congratulate the writer of this story! Did a great job driving traffic to your blog with this lie!!!
I used to work at a bank and it’s possible, as you said, it was just an untimed check… A lot of large companies will use a ’sweep account’ where a large sum of funds are invested overnight or for very short terms and then “swept” back into the account on a pay day… this is most likely what happened. but seriously, you would think they would have a better handle on things like that.
Sadly that bank broke the law when it told you it had insufficient funds. Your bank could be in a lot of trouble for telling you the check had insufficient funds.
Bank Expert,
I see that you are so sure of your position that you posted it anonymously. Typical troll behavior.
This is story is not false. I wish it were, but you neglect reading and comprehension in your diatribe. Ask Matt Cutts, Google employee who commented here, if these are not the facts.
Hi Tim,
It wasn’t my bank that told me.
It could also be that YOUR account did’t have enough money to cover the check.
When cashing a check for a customer, a teller generally needs to verify that it has what’s known as “recourse”, which means the customer has to have enough money in their account to reimburse the bank in case the check turns out to be bad. Tellers have the option of waiving the recourse for well-known customers or for checks that come from well-known companies.
Waiving recourse is generally done at the teller’s discretion, but if the check turns out to be bad and the bank can’t collect its money back from the customer, there’s hell to pay. If this happens enough times, or for enough money, the teller can lose his/her job.
Perhaps you don’t fit into any of the “waiving” categories, and the teller either didn’t recognize Google or didn’t want to take a chance with it (the check could be a fake).
To avoid this, simply deposit the check. The bank will kinda-sorta credit your account with the amount, but it won’t be available for withdrawal until the check clears all the way through.
Wow. All I can say is wow. All in all, as long as your rent check doesn’t bounce, I’d say that this story is worth any three bouncing checks from Google.
Rick,
Makes sense except my bank was not involved in this transaction. My account was never a consideration. If the account had the funds, it would have been cashed. I think it was and still maybe a timing issue.
I work at a bank and I can tell you what probably happened. If you try to cash a check and it’s more then your own account the cashier is cashing it against then they won’t allow allow it sometimes because techincally they’re not supposed to. Most people just do it though
I still think that you should:
1) Deposit the check, if it clears, apologize
2) If it comes back canceled, auction it on ebay with the “canceled” stamp - talk about huge profit!
I thought I got a bad adsense check from Goggle too. The bank sent me a letter that they were holding the funds for a week until the check actually cleared. i told my wife about it and we both were laughing so hard. It did clear though and now I am looking forward to the next check to see if there is a problem.
Jeff
Not to worry about “bank expert”… usually bank experts can spell “holes” correctly.
I enjoyed your story. The only way it would have been better would have been if Sallie Mae have bounced the check instead. I will settle for Google, though.
Best wishes,
NSF
Thresh
Just thought I’d stop by and offer my two cents. I work in the treasury department for Macy’s, Inc. (formerly FDS, Inc.), and am deeply involved with cash flow management and bank account administration.
I can attest to the fact that large corporations have more bank accounts than you think - most of them are set up for one or more of the following three reasons: to add additional security to the account structure, to simplify the “flowchart” nature of these accounts or make the system a “one way” system, or to take advantage of tax laws and loopholes. Macy’s has more than 400 open bank accounts with roughly two dozen banks in the US and abroad. We have an entire team of people that work on maintaining them, but you’d be surprised how difficult it can be to make sure that each account is doing exactly what you want it to do at all times. I suspect that I know exactly what the situation was on Google’s end at the time the check was issued - someone simply failed to request a list of outstanding checks before closing or “zeroing out” that particular account. Although it hasn’t happened to us in a while, it’s not an uncommon mistake.
To address the comment of someone above, I’m fairly certain that there are laws in place that protect corporations from these types of slip-ups…the same way that you’re not going to spend 10 years in the pen if you accidentally bounce a check.
Glad to see that someone’s helping you out, though. Not sure you’d get the same kind of service from a lot of other people.
To address another comment mentioned above, typically corporate checks are “signed” digitally or in rare cases with a signature stamp. Macy’s checks (everything from payroll to purchasing) are “signed” by one of our senior executives who happens to hold the title of “Assistant Treasurer”. It is inconceivable that a customer complaint would ever reach her, her secretary, or anyone in her pyramid. Every major company of which I’m aware has customer service representatives trained in this sort of thing, and a simple call to the CSR department probably would have been the best bet.
DC,
You say, “a simple call to the CSR department probably would have been the best bet.”
In the article above, I say,
“Voicemail Lady: For customer service/technical help press 5.
Me: I’m so there!
Voicemail Lady: (gives options 1 & 2) Press 3 for all other questions.
Me: Done.
Voicemail Lady: As Google does not currently authorize customer support, please see our website.”
How does one call something that doesn’t exist?
sure is newsworthy. don’t you have a family, friends, pet gecko to attend to?
I love how people don’t read the whole blog before posting or commenting.
1) Obviously, she tried to cash the check at the bank which Google’s check was drawn at.
2) I used to work at credit union and if someone tried to cash a check that was not covered by the account, we would bounce it, stamp it and give it back to the customer.
3) Google does not have a customer service department!
You my friend were the victim of a stupid teller, and not Google. The way large corporations structure their bank accounts, is through the use of concentration, disbursement and receivable accounts. The disbursement and receivable accounts “ZBA” up to the concentration account. ZBA stands for Zero Balance Account. All these accounts are Zero Balance, and any disbursements and receivables “ZBA” up at the end of the day. By trying to cash the check for cash, the teller looked at the account and saw a Zero balance instead of realizing what type of account it was.
The fact that the manager at the bank didnt know either is plane stupid. If you would have deposited the check into your account, the check would have been sent to a “controlled disbursement” site and you would have had no problem. I would find out why the bank employee didnt see it was a ZBA account.
As for the CSR not knowing who to call, one word, TREASURY. Large companies have entire treasury staffs. Who do you think invests all those billions? It is not Serge Brin.
I would call the bank and ask if they can be any more stupid by not knowing the structure of the accounts. Just the account numbering can usually tell you the type of account.
Ok dude CHILL, I used to work at Google and still DJ on occasion and once for a paid DJ gig I picked up the check in person from accounts payable and tried to cash it that very same day and guess what no luck I freaked like you did but then I thought gee thats weird oh well I will try again tomorrow. Booyah! check cashed no problem. Basically I tried to cash the check before it made it’s way through the system. Maybe since it was sent muy rapido fedex this is what happened to you.
Speaking of Google, perhaps it’s time to admit that the emperor is buck naked? Google is no longer an asset to small business. It’s digressed into a black box designed to extract as much money as possible from small business while giving back as little value as possible. This piece explains why Adwords is something to be skeptical about: “Why Google Adwords is Not Helpful to Small Business” http://smartstartup.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/07/a-fable-doing-b.html
I would sure love to see the bank stamp Insufficient Fund on the check when it was returned!
ROFL that’s just like my experience with Adbrite, they sent me an actual BAD check - the bank actually said the check bounced. I never went with that company again (too much of a headache). I say make Google pay -ask them for
1) A proper cheque + expenses (they have to pay if there are any repercussions from an invalid cheque)
2) Make them pay you interest on the late payment.
3) Free Swag! Never hurts to ask =D
You had a tough day dude!!.
Google is taking the heck out of you!!.
Good luck…….:)
A love Google services (search, maps, etc.) but itself.. Google is a mess.
I got 2 job offers from them and my experience with their HR is only terrible. They schedue phone appointments that never happen; they offer a position in Dublin just to let you know, when you close to the end of the process, that it is actually in Poland, etc. One of the HR persons didn’t know how to use Google Calendar!
They have localized customer service centers; one is Poland and they have some people working in Dublin. The problem is that at least in Poland, the money they offer is not at all competitive in order to attract good grads from the market.. and their Polish benefits don’t match the Irish ones in 20%.. not to mention the US ones. Moreover, the people I encountered were very inflexible.
Anyway, maybe the situation will improve in the future but what we need is a strong competitor to AdSense as for now there really isn’t one.
You just have to laugh, that or go insane
Clearly Google aren’t trying to dodge paying you the check, though it would be funny if you had in face discovered that Google had no money left!
The best bit of the story for me is Matt’s voicemail, or the invisible customer support
General fun, hope it gets worked out soon!
I enjoyed your humor very much. Thanks for the great laugh. ^_^
Sorry to hear about what happened. I hope everything will work out for you.
Haha, hilarious entry
Did your bank charge you a fee?
Thanks for reminding me that I still have an active Adbrite account. I forgot about that thing. Maybe they owe me some money?
[…] tells the story of Google writing a bad check. Thats right! Google’s Adsense account had insufficient funds to process the […]
I think adsense checks can’t be cashed. They have to be deposited… yup, I just searched for “cashing adsense checks” on google and the second link is: https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/answer.py?answer=32858&topic=8452
It says the checks are for deposit only.
Great story. I hope the check was for more than the cost of the bad check service charge.
I thought Google wasn’t paying us because their check hadn’t come but it turned out that Google sent our check in a plain envelope - no sender name. It looked like junk mail and had been put with all the mortgage offers.
Excellent. I wonder if in the end it was Google, their bank, or your bank that messed up.
How much was the check for? You should photocopy it and put it on here (without the account number details or anything).
You could also just email larry page and ask him to make it good.
[…] Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check at mobilejones Een hilarisch en komisch maar helaas waar gebeurd verhaal over adsense, een cheque en niet genoeg geld op de rekening van Google. Kafka bestaat ook in de US. Vincent, als ik u was, ik zou mijn koffers pakken. Werk aan de winkel ginder. (tags: adsense google) […]
Ok, this is really, really weird. That picture of you up above - is a dead ringer for what I looked like about 30 years ago. I mean, I’m actually looking at an old high school photo of myself, and looking at the pic of you on this page, and going, uh-huh, that’s me!
Hmmm…I wonder if my father cheated on my mother however many years ago that you were born.
Ok now this is really weird. Even tho it can happen even to huge companies such as Google. Actually, i would rather worry if it happened with a smaller company instead.
Wonder if you will receive a compensation by Google for this mess. As someone actually did mentioned early, if your check is a low 3 digits…and you have the check bounce stamped..give it a try and sell it on eBay .. i think it is worth the try. (just don’t get made the G guys :P)
[…] have enough funds in their account to cover it. Well, that is exactly what happened to this AdSense publisher. So, today I go to cash the check. I’m standing at the teller window, and realize, gee - this is […]
Hahahaha,
Who loves google now?
This is why I use the electronic funds transfer
Hey, what was the ammount of the check? I meas was it a “normal” adsense check or $X00.000?
[…] I’m over at AdSense Nonsense 2.0 and I read this: It’s amazing what will get Google’s attention. I’ve been trying for over a […]
come on, just one story found in google and yahoo for ‘google bad check’
maybe just a glich. 0.00000000000% error of issued check.
peace
That’s cool how you turned something that could have been perceived as really bad into something we can all get a laugh at. I guess laughing on the way to the bank is one thing… but when Google laughs at you as you leave the bank is another!
Bank Expert - Stay in banking. Because the rest of the free world can spell holes.
I have worked in Banking for 20+ years as well. Some of your points are not necessarily true.
Point 1 is obviously true. But I work for one of the top 10 banks in North America and it is not our policy to honor checks in cases #2 or #3 because larger corporations don’t have this problem. Only smaller companies.
And #4 is not really going to happen. Try calling the Signer of checks you get from a larger corporation. You won’t be able to get them.
[…] chick who’s name is nowhere to be found on her blog mobilejones.com is reporting that Google cut her a bad Adsense check. That is to say, when she went to cash it, there were “insufficient funds” in that […]
[…] know will we? Unless Matt Cutts actually makes a post on his blog and says that he actually wrote this comment, which again im not saying he didn’t and im not saying he did. Anyone can just comment on her […]
[…] Jones has one of the funniest yet familiar sounding posts (and an update) regarding Google sending her a bad […]
[…] Mobilejones has the amazing (and hysterical story) […]
[…] Besides, he or she also found that Google had very bad customer service support for customers. If you are interested in his or her story, you can visit the post written on his or her blog - Adsense Nonsense 2.0. […]
[…] encashed and the teller saying Google is out of funds? That would be the day. Read on and see how Mobile Jones got a bad check from […]
Could someone please post a link to a google check with a phone number on it please? Ive seen several hundred adsense checks, and none of them had phone numbers on them. So please, if you have one, post a link…
[…] Read full story here. Leave a Comment […]
[…] I’m sure that with Darren’s post, Mobile Jones plight, as hilariously described in her blog post will be heard around the world. Ms. Jones also has an update on her difficulties in getting in […]
Very funny and weird at the same time!! I guess that even the big players make mistakes sometimes…
[…] história não é minha, e ainda bem, de acordo com este blog (em inglês), o autor do blog, recebeu um cheque careca para pagar os ganhos do […]
[…] mobiljones “Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check” und die Folgestory Adsense Nonsense - by the […]
[…] her a bad paycheck.. you should really read this one if you are in need of a bit of humour.. Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check at mobilejones __________________ Abi - I Have a Credit Card Right Now And I Want to Buy it. Want a Market Like […]
That sucks so bad!
I hope you get it worked out.
[…] Mehr dazu hier. Hier ein Update dazu. […]
This is going to be fun for those who received a bad check from Google. Luckily I haven’t even reached $100 since I only earn $2.00 from last year. Just hope that is a mistake or accidentally enter the wrong account by their employee?
[…] Mehr dazu hier. Hier ein Update dazu. […]
I would think that you are going for the EFT now Mojo? Checks are just too much trouble.
[…] The rest of the text is in here mobilejones […]
While I don’t have an account with adsense, I can completely empathize with the customer service story…It took me some 6 weeks to have my email verified. So it was my firt acquaintence with Google and an issue that affected me directly. It didn’t matter who I tried to contact or what I did, my email just never got verified. Finally when I set up Google as an RSS feeder they verified it. Otherwise, I have two websites and a blog. A support email got back to me once explaining how to get your email verified, which of course I had already done or made requests for 3 times, with no luck.
What struck me about my situation was the fact that I had no recourse….there was just plain no one to talk to; so no Google Analytics for me! And tough–I’d thought about contacting someone my daugther knew who was interning at Google to figure out to get through their system. While it sounds as if most people get along well with Google and maybe I am in that 2% as somone mentioned, it was more than unusual to come across such a giant mega business who doesn’t have a handle on this part….or at least a customer service center. FAQ didn’t help much either. The questions were much more complicated than my problem so not necessarily touched on. Goofy.
“Finally, that Google (and Yahoo, and AOL, and others) don’t ever offer the option to talk to a human being is just, plain STOOPID. It alienates your customers, and drives them to your competition. It’s simply penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
>>> Alienates customers and drives them to the competition? And WHO, is the competition? This is monopoly with textbook precision.
No matter what people say, at least today, the Internet BELONGS to Google (My memory is a bit rusty, did Al Gore SELL the Internet to Google after inventing it?)
You deserve a medal and a big lump of compensation for the time you wasted through no fault of your own and the mental anguish. Have you considered legal action for sending out bad checks ?
[…] chocante! Uma publicadora de anúncios do Adsense recebeu um cheque careca da Google. Certo é que a Google possui inúmeras […]
Just a clarification for those who thought it was wrong for the bank to say Google had insufficient funds; it wasn’t.
A bank cannot disclose the actual account’s balance, however, it can say whether or not there is enough money to cover a specific amount.
In my previous leasing job, many moons ago, we would regularly call the banks to ass “can XXX cover a check for $xxx.xx?”; we couldn’t, however, call and ask “how much money does XXX have in his account?”
-KB
Er…must have had something else on my mind — “ass” should be “ask”.
[…] MobileJones had a very interesting and funny experience trying to pay a Google Adsense cheque into their bank account. […]
All those saying you can’t cash a check at your bank unless YOU have funds to cover it… that’s rubbish, outright.
Your bank will cash a check, and they will hold the funds until the check clears… that’s been the case everywhere I’ve ever seen. Saying “You have to have the funds to cover it” is nonsense, and only relevant if you are making a withdrawal at the same time (in which case, if you had the funds, what does the check have to do with anything?)
Further, you can simply walk into the bank the check was issued from and cash it yourself, for cold hard cash… after all, that’s what a check is ultimately for.
hehehe, why get it simple when you can do complicated !!
Funny story, but must be a pain to live.
Thanks to share.
[…] it happened. Then she tries to navigate Google’s phone system to get help. What a nightmare. Check out the story here. google adsense, enough money, local bank, unbelievable things, nightmareShare and Enjoy:These […]
[…] Doch beim Hin- und Herschieben scheint ein kleiner Fehler gemacht worden zu sein und so bekam mobilejones einen ungedeckten AdSense […]
[…] post on The Story of the Day Google AdSense Wrote a Bad Check about a person who received plenty of grief regarding a bad Google Adsense cheque, I thought we’ll keep this as our Open Mic Topic for the […]
Really Hilarious, specially the teller reaction !
And, is this the worst Customer Service from the top internet company ?
Even istockphoto.com also ran out of funds.
A friend of mine who is photo contributor at istockphoto.com also had similar situation such as yours.
Wow… that is really shocking to me. I can not help but wonder how many empty bank accounts Google has, and how incompetent their accounting department has to be to actually cut a check from one of those accounts.
I agree with Jeremy… Auction it on E-bay.
haha, what a story..funny and hilarious..how did the gazillion comp. got no enough fund to pay..hm..
[…] this article about MobileJones, a blogger who’s AdSense check had bounced when she tried to deposit it into her bank […]
I’m surprised at the responses to this post. First and foremost, it is clear that the check was presented at Google’s bank not the bank of the presenter. How else would have the teller known to check the balance on the account before *cashing* the check? Also, the check wasn’t presented for deposit because the presenter didn’t have an account with institution.
Secondly, this problem was caused by the ignorance of a bank teller, not Google. As explained in posts above, the account is likely a ZBA. This, however, would not have prevented the check from being cashed, as it would have been at the bank’s discretion and there is no doubt that the bank would generally want to avoid embarrassing publicity for such a large client. The teller made a mistake, perhaps out of inexperience or perhaps some other reason — who knows what hell the teller had already gone through that day for the low pay and huge responsibility that is offered tellers at most institutions.
Finally, a link above explains that Google doesn’t want you to cash the checks, they prefer deposit only. Their desire that you deposit a check versus presenting it for cash, though, is not written in law or stone, so you were within your rights as a check-holder to determine your preferred method of requesting the funds.
You hit the customer-service trifecta in your experience. One that has entertained the hell out of me and many others: good show!
[…] vez las excesivas compras de Google han generado que se queden sin fondos en su cuenta bancaria. Un usuario de Adsense fue a cobrar su cheque de Google Adsense y la encargada del banco le dijo: “Lo Siento, no hay […]
[…] 11th PM - post check bounced article to […]
[…] Some humour from Google for the end of the day: Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check at mobilejones. […]
I think it’s interesting, in over a hundred comments so far, that NO-ONE has said “I had the same problem.”
I find it quite sad that when a company makes a single mistake, the natural reaction of the “blog commenting community” is to suggest that you run for the District Attorney, talk about the felony that has been committed, and criticise Google as being penny-wise, pound-foolish.
I agree that Google would be “more useful” if there was a customer support representative that I could talk to, but I know the problems running a help desk myself, when you end up on the phone for an hour with a customer who’s never used a computer before trying to set up what turns out to be a $5 purchase.
What a story! Google must be super pissed that their bank did not help them out in this situation and in stead made them criminals by bouncing their check.
If our next checks from Google are issued in a new bank, it would be fair (and kinda funny!)
No disrepect to yourself but that is hilarious - I still can’t believe what I have just read, lol.
[…] Calendar/Desktop seem to be a logical choice, but I’m not a raving fan of Google. Their disdain for customer support and their utter lack of transparency leave me feeling less than happy about trusting them with all […]
[…] can’t believe this: Google wrote an AdSense check that bounced! […]
[…] on the heels of Google AdSense checks reportedly bouncing, and as Google heads to Washington to defend it’s recent Doubleclick acquisition (which as we […]
[…] Relieved and happy he walks upto a bank to cash in the cheque, when he hands the cheque in well you should read the actuall conversation at the MOBILE JONES BLOG. […]
Which bank did you use? Chase? Bank of America?
This is way too funny, sorry, but it is
I had a problem with a check I lost and was re-issued, but the ‘good” thing is that I live in Romania and won’t call in the USA for the life of me. I think it would cost me more than the check’s value
I can relate to these issues with “automated” voicemails. They use this in many areas and sometimes it’s way too frustrating.
I never thought I’d read something like this, but as much as a problem for you, this was in the end something ‘funny’ for us, people who weren’t involved in this. I think I would have dropped unconscious if my check wasn’t accepted in the bank. There are still so many issues with the bank system in my country, that it would in the end be “normal’ to have this issue. Best of luck and many many GOOD checks from now on in any ad system you chose to monetize the site in. Awesome read
[…] Mobile Jones Google check fiasco, described in her original blog post and an update, was heard around the […]
This is priceless. I was reading it to my husband and my son replied “Google’s broke.” MY hubby is having the same problem with Adbrite. They are six weeks past due.
[…] According to Debi Jones of mobilejones.com, Google wrote a cheque to her and they did not have funds in their account to cover it. What’s this? Google does not have available funds in their account to cover an AdSense cheque? Priceless! I’m not making this stuff up. You can read all about it at Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad check at mobilejones. […]
Was this Wells Fargo? If so, then I’m sure it’s more to do with the bank than Google.
[…] out the story here: Share this […]
wow, i can’t believe that happened to you….. did you ever get it taken care of?
i hope i never experience that
If it comes back canceled, auction it on ebay with the “canceled” stamp talking in a about a big profit!
[…] Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad checkA 2006 article from Business 2.0 Magazine partially agrees to this: "CPM rates on Google AdSense and competing automated systems are estimated at anywhere … […]
[…] Adsense Nonsense 2.0 - Google writes a bad checkpost on The Story of the Day Google AdSense Wrote a Bad Check about a person who received plenty of grief regarding a bad Google Adsense cheque, … […]
Google Adsense is the flagship of contextual advertising! Really the best webmaster program for earning money!
Very funny. We like it most. This is how attract blog thema.
Google has done it again. I am going through this situation right now. My bank has a hold on the check saying that Google’s account is showing as closed. So I am out $150 right now and I can’t get ahold of anyone.
You write really well! That was hilarious! This kind of automation of systems all over is really getting irritating.. Its a big problem.. Everytime we dial the number it takes a lot of time and patience to reach some human being.. and everytime the person is different.. then we prove our credentials.. he logs into our account.. basically the problem never gets solved… its used to be great in olden days… go to a particular office.. talk to the same person.. get the issue resolved then and there…