Accused of bidding on restricted ppc terms (again)

Every week for the last few weeks I have been accused of bidding on restricted ppc terms by either merchants or affiliate networks. And in each and every case I haven't done so, not once.

If there are restrictions in place for certain merchants and I am aware of them then I don't bid. What would be the point? All I would do is risk losing any commission I may have made.

So why am I getting accused of bidding when I haven't been?

Some of it is down to the merchant/network/agency not understanding broad matching bidding on Google. Fair enough, but it does get a bit tiring explaining it time and time again.

However a lot of it is down to human error. Sure we are all human and goodness knows I make plenty of mistakes. But again, how difficult is to cross check an affiliate ID in the link?

What is even worse is I've been accused of brand name bidding on programs that I'm not even signed up too! yes, permission based programs whereby you need to sign up and be approved. I haven't signed up, I haven't been approved but apparently I'm still promoting these merchants on Google!

Possibly the best one of the week came from a very well known Broadband merchant. They sent me a really, really snotty email asking why I was bidding on their trademark when I knew it wasn't allowed? Not only that but I had 12 hours notice to take down the ads or they would suspend my account and cancel my commissions. I wrote back to them asking for them to elaborate and send me proof. They then sent me back a screenshot of where someone had searched for the word "Broadband" on Google. Not a mention of any brand names anywhere.

Naturally I emailed them back and asked if they had in fact taken out a trademark on the generic term "broadband". 2 days later they sheepishly replied apologising and saying that they now "understood" their own ppc guidelines and wouldn't make the same mistake again. Sheesh!

What I'm listening to right now: Pharrel Williams - "Can I Have It Like That?"