Webmaster Tools - Top Search Queries is reporting as it has for weeks that my top two keywords have my site's home page in position #12 and #15, but I can't find it anywhere in the top 1000. Instead I keep finding the same website, a competitors site, in the position where Top Search Queries is reporting my website should be.

Is this a possible penalty or some sort of hack???

This has been going on for about 4 weeks now. I know Google is going through some gyrations and I expect and have been experiencing some repositioning and bouncing of position by my other keywords but Top Search Queries is reporting these with some accuracy (ie with in 50 positions or so).

If I was being penalized I would expect that Webmaster Tools would be reporting that my two keyword terms where not in the top 1000. (ie. not showing them at all).

Anyone have any ideas???

recently I did a serp check and I find it in a very nice position in first page while login in google, when I logged out its on the 3rd page. Why is that happen. Maybe the same thing happen .

If you've done nothing wrong, you won't be penalised. Google is not some moody God that punishes on a whim.

Bill, it could be that the majority of your traffic for those top ranking phrases are seeing different positions for your site, maybe because they're using different data centres. If those top search queries match what your traffic analytics package says then the chances are those top search phrases are right.

Unless you're experiencing some loss in raffic, I'd just forget about it.

The top search queries are close in all but the top (big) two keywords.
every time I search on them they are lost in the sandbox