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If Google Ads detects suspicious or unauthorized payment activity, we may pause your account. To run ads again, you’ll need to answer a few questions about your payment history.
You’ll receive both an in-account notification and email notification informing you that your account is paused due to suspicious payment activity. To unpause your account, follow the steps below.
- In your Google Ads account, select Answer questions in the in-account notification.
- Next, a screen will appear to ‘Answer a few questions about your payment history’. Complete information requested related to your payment history.
- You may be asked to confirm your payment method. This isn't always a required step. If you're asked to do so, you'll get an email within 10 minutes of submitting your questions.
- If you don’t get an email within 10 minutes, your questions are being reviewed and you’ll get a different email with a decision about your account’s pause within 5 business days.
- If you receive the email to confirm your card, click the Start Task button. You'll be directed to your Google Ads account to complete this step. To verify your information, you may need to submit documents or request a code. Learn more about How to verify your payment method.
- Click Get code. To confirm your card, Google will make a temporary $1.95 charge to your credit card with a confirmation code.
- You should get the code right away, but it can take up to 7 days in some cases. If you don’t receive the code, make sure to check the spam and promotions folders in your email account.
- This charge will appear in your transaction history within 5 minutes, and you’ll get that money back within 14 days.
- Enter the confirmation code in the space provided and click Submit code.
- To find your 6-digit confirmation code, go to your online account for your credit card and find Google’s temporary charge in the transaction history. Your code will be next to “GOOGLE*Y8H”.
After you submit your code, you’ll get an email with a decision about your account’s pause within 2 business days.