Click fraud

Click fraud occurs when individuals or automated systems intentionally click on online ads, often repeatedly, to artificially inflate advertising costs for the advertiser or to drain the advertiser's budget. This deceptive behavior skews ad performance data, making it seem like the ads are more effective than they truly are. Advertisers pay for each click, so fraudulent clicks increase their expenses without genuine customer interest. Click fraud can be perpetrated by competitors, bots, or malicious actors aiming to sabotage campaigns or generate illegitimate traffic, ultimately reducing return on investment for advertisers.