+1  A: 

After playing around with Apache mod_rewrite for a while I have found a rule that seems to fix my Google Adsense issue:

RewriteRule ^\/pagead\/badge\/checkout\_999999\.gif$ http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/badge/checkout_999999.gif [R=301,L]

The problem is I'm not sure how to stop a similar thing happening in the future if Google decides to hotlink to a different file?

Tom
you should file a bug with Google. that icon should had an absolute URL
Javier
+3  A: 

Sounds like a bug with google adsense delivery. File a bug with them is your best bet for a long-term fix.

Matt
Thanks for the advice, bug filed (https://www.google.com/adsense/support/bin/topic.py?topic=8424)
Tom
+1, a lot of people would just have created the image while the bug remains unreported.
Tim Post
A: 

As Google doesn't care about the problem (previous posts were sent in June and we are now in October... and the bug was reported directely to Google), I decided to put an image on my server that would suggest the user to click on the ad!

Clicks then increased!!

As this is my server, I can do what I want and that's not my problem if Google asks for files on my server. They cost me money by using my bandwidth and connecting to my server, I am now paid for that!!

You should do the same...

Max
Clever idea :-) Do you have a URL I can see?
Tom