Misrepresentation is the harshest penalty in Google Ads. Your account goes dead overnight. No ads run. Support sends you nothing but an automated reply. You won't learn the specific reason, because they aren't allowed to tell you. Most e-commerce stores first hear about this threat only after they've been suspended.
This article covers the 10 most common signals that trigger a suspension. I'll also provide a concrete plan for recovering your account. You'll learn how to get your ads running again. The goal is to find and fix the problem before you contact support.
Why Google stays silent on the details
This frustrates nearly every e-commerce store owner. Google sends only a generic notification, like "Your account has been suspended for a violation of our Misrepresentation policy." It won't name the specific rule or point to the problem element on your site.
From Google's perspective, this secrecy is strategic. If Google explained its rules precisely, scammers would adapt immediately. The logic is similar to spam filtering: Google keeps the specific rules confidential, and they can be updated as often as monthly.
For you, the takeaway is clear: you have to audit the site yourself. Don't wait for a helpful tip from support, because it won't come. Go through the signals in this article, find your e-commerce store's weak spots, and fix them before you submit a reinstatement request.
The 10 most common misrepresentation signals
1. Missing contact details
For Czech e-commerce stores, this is the single most common stumbling block. Google requires basic, clearly visible contact information: company name, business ID, registered address, phone number, and email. This information must be in the footer of every page, not buried in your terms and conditions.
Watch out for virtual offices: A P.O. box or a virtual office without a physical business location is a major red flag. If your registered address is a coworking space, add the owner's actual billing address to the site as well.
2. Generic photos identical to the competition
Google has excellent reverse image search capabilities and compares product photos across the market. If the same photo is used by 50 other stores, the algorithm sees it as a strong signal of dropshipping or an untrustworthy e-commerce store.
How to fix it: Take your own product photos. If you're using photos from a distributor, verify your usage rights in your B2B portal. Official partners usually won't have a problem with this. In contrast, using a photo copied from AliExpress is a fast track to disapproval.
3. A fresh domain and a hidden owner
A domain that's less than six months old combined with owner details hidden by WHOIS privacy is a red flag for Google. This combination will likely trigger a stricter manual review.
How to fix it: For new domains, simply don't hide the owner details. Czech .cz domains have an advantage here, as the CZ.NIC association doesn't offer this privacy service natively. For .com or .eu extensions, check the settings with your registrar. It's better to pay a little extra for transparency.
4. Made-up reviews
Google cross-references reviews on your site with external systems like Heureka, Trustpilot, or Google Reviews. If you have 200 five-star ratings on your site but none on Heureka, the system will flag it immediately. Artificially worded reviews have the same effect.
How to fix it: Collect ratings using verified platforms like Heureka Verified by Customers or Google Customer Reviews. Then, import them to your site automatically. Never add them manually.
5. Hidden fees in the cart
The price in the ad must be the final price. Customers shouldn't face surprise charges in the cart. Unexpected fees for packaging, cash on delivery, or handling are classic triggers for a misrepresentation suspension.
How to fix it: Disclose all fees on the product detail page. VAT must be included in the initial price, not added at the end of checkout. Shipping costs are pulled from your Merchant Center settings.
6. Disguised subscriptions
If you sell recurring subscriptions or offer a free trial, the terms must be clearly visible upfront. Don't hide them deep in your terms and conditions. The customer must clearly see the cost, billing frequency, and cancellation policy.
7. A different brand on the site and in the ad
Deceptive identity is a major issue for Google. For example, your company name in Google Ads is "ABC s.r.o.," but your site displays "Shop XYZ." If the relationship between the two isn't explained, Google will flag your site as suspicious. A logo mismatch has the same effect.
How to fix it: Clarify the relationship in your e-commerce store's footer. State the full company name, business ID, and the brand relationship. A simple sentence is enough: "Shop XYZ is operated by ABC s.r.o., business ID 12345678."
8. Missing terms and conditions
In the Czech Republic, this is a standard legal requirement, and Google actively checks for it. The page must load correctly and include return windows, the complaint procedure, and a mention of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority.
How to fix it: Create separate pages for your terms and conditions and complaint procedure. Link to them clearly in the footer. Don't hide the text in a downloadable PDF; the content must be readable directly on the site.
9. An extremely low price
A new iPhone for $350. A luxury watch for a fraction of its market value. The algorithm immediately flags this as potential counterfeit goods fraud, and disapproval is almost instant.
How to fix it: If you're having a legitimate sale, state the reason for the discount clearly on the site. If you're selling second-hand goods, you must set the product state in the feed to condition: used. Mark refurbished products in both the title and description fields.
10. Geographic chaos
You have a Czech domain and your site is in Czech, but you invoice using a Chinese company's business ID. Or you list an address in Poland in your footer. Google easily detects these inconsistencies and treats them as deliberate deception.
How to fix it: Your company identity must be consistent. Check your product feed, website, Merchant Center, and billing details for consistency. If you are a Czech branch of a foreign company, explain this clearly in the footer and in the terms and conditions.
What to do when your account is suspended
Above all, stay calm. Misrepresentation doesn't automatically mean a permanent ban. But unlike normal product-level disapprovals, it's a systemic problem across your entire e-commerce store. Most cases can be resolved within a few days if you approach the problem systematically and without emotion.
The right recovery process:
- Save a screenshot of the suspension email from Google.
- Open your site in an incognito window and browse it as if you were a new customer.
- Evaluate your site against the 10 signals described above, grading each by risk level.
- Fix the errors according to their priority.
- Document every change you make with before-and-after screenshots.
- Wait 24 hours for Google to index the changes.
- Submit a reinstatement request with a detailed log of your fixes.
Fix priority, or what to tackle first:
| Priority | Area to check | What to check on your e-commerce store |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Highest | Contacts and company | Address, business ID, phone, site footer. |
| 2. High | Terms and photos | Separate terms pages, original photos. |
| 3. Medium | Prices and fees | VAT in the price, no hidden packaging fees, real market prices. |
| 4. Lower | Brand and reviews | Brand name consistency, imported reviews from trusted sources. |
How to write the reinstatement request
Google expects a factual, concise statement. Forget emotion. Don't complain about how unfair the suspension is. Your request must have a clear structure.
- First paragraph: Acknowledge the issue in a professional tone.
- Second paragraph: List the specific changes you made, including URLs. For example: "We added the business ID and address to the site footer (URL:
your-domain.cz/contact)." - Third paragraph: Provide proof of your company's legitimacy, like a link to your entry in the commercial register or the ARES business registry.
- Fourth paragraph: State your commitment to policy compliance and request a new review.
Keep the entire request to a maximum of five paragraphs. Your account will be reviewed by a real person with limited time for each case. A clear structure helps them understand your fixes quickly.
8 points to check before launching campaigns
Take 30 minutes to check these points before you launch your first ad. It can save you weeks of trouble later. If you're missing the basics, review what a product feed is, and use a supplemental feed to quickly fix initial errors without a developer.
- Add the basic contact details to the footer of every page.
- Create separate, readable pages for the terms and conditions and the complaint procedure.
- Use your own or officially licensed product photos.
- Integrate reviews from trusted platforms.
- Always show final prices including VAT with no hidden fees in the cart.
- Put any subscription terms right next to the Order button.
- Ensure brand consistency across your accounts and website.
- Use a domain older than six months with publicly available WHOIS details.
When to call a specialist instead
Most e-commerce store owners can fix these issues themselves. But sometimes the situation becomes too complicated. Look for a Google Ads expert in these cases:
- Your account has been suspended for more than 14 days, and support only sends generic, automated replies.
- You've had two or more reinstatement requests rejected.
- Multiple accounts are suspended at once (e.g., both Google Ads and Merchant Center).
- You need to escalate through higher-tier support or a Google account representative.
An experienced PPC specialist knows exactly what to include in the request, using the right terminology. They also have access to higher-level support contacts. For high-revenue e-commerce stores, this investment pays for itself quickly.
In closing
Misrepresentation is the harshest penalty in Google Ads, taking down your entire account at once. You'll never learn the specific reason from support, as the policy is a primary defense against scammers. You must perform the initial site audit yourself.
Proceed calmly and systematically. Speed is not the priority; precision is. Carefully document every change you make on the site. The reinstatement request must be strictly factual.
A misrepresentation suspension doesn't have to be the end of your business. It's a broad, systemic check designed to protect shoppers. If you run a legitimate, honest e-commerce store, you can eventually get your account back. You just have to find the mistake and fix it on your site quickly.
