Hidden Links

[ozsubasi]

I am reviewing my backlinks in GWT and have come across something I haven't seen before, i.e. a link which isn't visible until the source is viewed, and I am unsure on how to proceed now that I've found it.
The link is located here: (I've substituted (dot) for .))
howdoi-getpregnant(dot)com/how-do-i-get-pregnant/what-to-take-for-heartburn-when-pregnant/

Quite obviously this site is nothing to do with real estate and I have no idea how or why I have a link there. But if I do a search (using the "Find" feature in Google Chrome) for the word "Altinkum", the page reveals nothing. But switch to view source, and there are 4 occurrences of it, all in a link to my site.
The link comes complete with text that I know I haven't written. I should add that mine isn't the only link there.

From the source, the link is within a "comments" section, but there isn't one visible on the page.

Any views please on why the links are there and what I should do about it?

[kgun]

Do you use FireFox + Firebug? Have you analysed the site with that browser and that plugin? In addition, the Opera Web browser is even more advanced. Have you analysed the site with that browsers tools?

There is an even more advanced tool to analyse a site:

http://www.fiddler2.com/fiddler2/

[ozsubasi]

Thank you, I just had a look using firebug but I don't know what I am looking for?

[weegillis]

I'd suggest contacting your host and finding out if there is any evidence of their server (or your site) getting hacked. This is a typical situation, (the hidden links) and the only best solution is to change all your server passwords and mount a clean site over what's there, now. This will mean going through all your databases, too.

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It might also be a good idea to find out what IP addresses have recently had FTP access.

[bhartzer]

weegillis, it doesn't sound like the link is on HIS site, it's on someone else's site.

I would contact the domain owner and ask them to remove the link to their site. If you're concerned about it, you could also make a list of the "bad links" to your site, and notify Google via a reconsideration request and tell them that you've found bad links to your site, you've tried to correct them, but the domain owner(s) won't do anything.

[weegillis]

Well, d'uh. I'm still waking up, and I've been up since 7. Can't -- get -- the -- rust -- out -- this -- morning -- must -- be -- the -- coffee -- is -- too -- weak. Apologies to the OP for being so far off the mark. And, thanks, @bhartzer for so 'gently' rebuking my erroneous post.

[ozsubasi]

weegillis, it doesn't sound like the link is on HIS site, it's on someone else's site.

That's right, it is at the url I gave in my opening post.

I would contact the domain owner and ask them to remove the link to their site.

Taking weegillis's point, perhaps their site has been hacked then? I will try to contact them but their contact form is only really for people who want to buy something, I don't think my message will reach anyone who could action it. But it is worth a go.

If you're concerned about it, you could also make a list of the "bad links" to your site, and notify Google via a reconsideration request and tell them that you've found bad links to your site, you've tried to correct them, but the domain owner(s) won't do anything.

When I tried a reconsideration request for a different matter, I got a standard message saying that as there was no manual penalty there could be no reconsideration. But I guess I could try reporting it as spam.

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Apologies to the OP for being so far off the mark.

No problem I'm at the other end of the scale, I've been here for 11 hours and need to go home, its hot here today and my brain has long passed peak performance for the day.

[kgun]

I would contact the domain owner and ask them to remove the link to their site. If you're concerned about it, you could also make a list of the "bad links" to your site, and notify Google via a reconsideration request and tell them that you've found bad links to your site, you've tried to correct them, but the domain owner(s) won't do anything.

Proof, please.

Can inbound links really hurt you?

If during my years of link building i happened to have established links on "bad URLs" will this have an adverse effect on my site?

I have just changed my signature to include a couple of friends sites but I'm conscious that 300 links have just appeared on the WPW forum. Will this have an adverse effect? I cant see how this can possibly be the case as my competitors could cause me serious damage by such methods?

Any thoughts please...

In my opinion no. If that was the then the web would be a huge mess, think about all the big companies who have thousands and thousands of spam links everywhere just because there brand is known. This would also make SEO a case of damaging your competitors rather than outranking them naturally. Google knows that you can't control 100% who links to your site and unless they see that your buying links or consider yourself to be spamming then they won't punish you for it.

That amount of links won't even appear on there radar.

Dave

I agree Dave.

Source: http://www.webproworld.com/webmaster...eally-hurt-you

Do anybody know what incrediblehelp, the owner of this http://www.kbkmarketing.com/ site means today?

[SteveGerencser]

Kgun, that information is horribly horribly out of date, and was even wrong back then. You have got to keep current.

[ozsubasi]

What I'm concerned about here is that I've seen something that looks blatantly wrong, (I've since found another site that has similar links to mine) and there doesn't seem to be any obvious recourse. It's like you can report someone who hits you with a round bat, but not if they hit you with a square one.
I've tried reporting other things using the nearest available option, but there is no reply and no evidence of any action. Google is talking about about transparency, but when there is no human answer to questions there is no transparency. The occasional inconclusive Matt Cutts sound byte doesn't cut the mustard.
I am really frustrated, I know there is no solution that anyone here can give me, so I'm just sounding off
I am a whisker away from scrapping and starting over. All this is an incredible drain on my resources (i.e. me) and banging my head against the brick wall has become tiresome and painful.
Recommendations are to see it out, don't give up, it will come back. I don't have time for that, well meant and appreciated though it is.
There are potential clients out there that I can no longer reach, I should be spending my time talking to those people but they don't know I am here any more.