Click fraud isn’t a theory. It’s measured, documented, and quietly absorbed as a cost of doing business.
Independent research firms and advertising trade groups consistently report that invalid traffic costs advertisers tens of billions of dollars every year.
Google and other ad platforms acknowledge invalid traffic — but apply broad, opaque definitions that often mask real financial impact.
Most platforms refund only the traffic they can detect with certainty. Gray-area traffic is typically billed without appeal.
Google states that it automatically filters and credits advertisers for “invalid clicks” — but does not disclose detection logic or full raw event data.
Advertisers cannot independently audit these decisions without their own data.
Fraud doesn’t look like a spike.
It looks like death by a thousand tiny charges.
In Q4 2025, AdGuardian analyzed 1M clicks and found that 22% of 'Data Center' traffic successfully bypassed standard platform filters.
These clicks are usually billable. They are rarely refunded. They quietly drain budget.
Industry reports tell you the problem exists. Your own logs tell you how much it’s costing you.
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