Did you consider seeking recourse in court at the time? I wonder if a wave of lawsuits or even small court claims would tip the incentives for Google to create a proper system for contesting.
I wonder if you could file a complaint today in small claims. Do you have any records from the time?
I've often wondered what would happen if someone were to try that. I suspect it would result in Google hell banning you from all of their services in perpetuity, just like they do to people who attempt to dispute a credit card charge.
I wonder if you could file a complaint today in small claims. Do you have any records from the time?