Ad Fraud: What it is, how to spot it, and how to stop paying for fake clicks

Ad Fraud

What it is

Ad fraud (aka invalid traffic) is when fake views, clicks, or installs make advertisers pay for attention that never came from real people. Think bots, hijacked devices, or shady sites simulating an audience.

How it happens

  • Bots & farms: scripts or low-paid crews auto-load pages and tap ads.

  • Injected ads: malware or rogue extensions swap or stack hidden ads.

  • Spoofed sources: traffic pretends to be from premium apps/sites.

Why it matters

  • Wasted budget and skewed reports

  • Lower ROI and bad targeting decisions

  • Funds flowing to criminal networks

Spot the signs

  • Sudden spikes from odd places (new sites, countries, devices)

  • High impressions with near-zero engagement or conversions

  • Identical click patterns and ultra-short “time on page”

Reduce the risk

  • Use allowlists of trusted sites/apps; block the rest

  • Require MFA/API keys for partners; rotate tokens

  • Enable fraud filters in your ad platform; review placement reports

  • Track post-click behavior (bounce, time, events), not just clicks

    Glossary (A–Z)

    All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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