If you think you have malware on your computer, or if you clicked a link in a phishing email or replied to a phishing email with your account information, we suggest that you follow the steps below to protect your account:
More information on malware and phishing
Malware is malicious software that tries to steal sensitive information from your computer, send spam, or commit fraud. Your Authorized Buyers account can become compromised if you have malware on your system.
Phishing emails are fraudulent emails that appear to come from Google, but aren't actually sent by Google. These types of emails sometimes ask users to enter their billing information or account details in order to trick them into sharing their personal information.
While you're signed in to your Authorized Buyers account, check for any unauthorized activity, such as changes to your ads or budget. If you notice any activity that you didn't authorize, please report the unauthorized activity to us as soon as possible.
Also, if you accidentally provided someone with your billing information following a phishing email, it's a good idea to check your bank or credit card statements for any unauthorized activity.
Scan your computer for malware
Malware refers to any software specifically designed to harm a computer or the software it's running. Malware can steal sensitive information (like credit card numbers or passwords) or even send fake emails from a user's email account, often without the user's knowledge.
Malware can be installed on a computer in a number of ways, with or without a user's knowledge, but most commonly occurs when someone visits a contaminated website or downloads seemingly innocent software from the Internet. Malware includes, but isn't limited to, viruses, worms, spyware, and Trojan horses.
There are a variety of programs that can detect and remove malware that's installed on your computer.
- If you already have an anti-spyware or anti-virus program on your computer, please make sure that it's up-to-date and then run a full system scan.
Change your password
To change your Authorized Buyers password, follow these steps below:
-
Sign in to Authorized Buyers.
- Click into your account (on top right of the Authorized Buyers interface).
- Click Account
Security.
- Scroll to "Signing into Google" and click
- Enter new password and enter it again to confirm.
- Click Change Password.
To protect yourself from account security issues, be aware of emails or websites that seem suspicious, and report any phishing attempts to us immediately.
Learn more about malware prevention.