Click Fraud on Google Ads: How to Detect, Prevent, Report, and Get Refunded

Click fraud is a serious threat to advertisers using Google Ads. It occurs when bots, click farms, or even competitors repeatedly click your ads without any real interest—draining your ad budget and skewing your metrics. Over time, it can mislead performance reports and lead to poor decisions.

There are two key types:

• Invalid clicks: accidental or unintentional (often filtered out automatically).
  

• Click fraud: intentional, malicious, and more damaging—typically from bots or competitors.
  

To detect click fraud, watch for red flags:

• Sudden spikes in CTR without conversions
  

• High bounce rates on PPC traffic
  

• Discrepancy between Google Ads clicks vs Google Analytics sessions
  

• Repeated clicks from suspicious IPs or unknown regions
  

• Inflated form submissions or fake user behavior
  

You can take several steps to protect your account:

1. Block IP addresses showing repeated or suspicious behavior
   

2. Use geo-targeting to exclude high-risk regions
   

3. Audit placements in display campaigns—remove sites with excessive CTRs
   

4. Limit budget exposure with daily caps and billing thresholds
   

5. Monitor reports regularly, and export data for records
   

6. Use click fraud detection tools like ClickCease or PPC Protect
   

If you suspect click fraud, report it directly to Google Ads. Provide logs, timestamps, IPs, and campaign info. If verified, Google may refund charges related to fraudulent clicks.

To stay safe:

• Enable 2FA for your Google Ads account
  

• Avoid suspicious ad networks or display partners
  

• Don’t rely solely on automation—review performance manually often
  

Platforms like Agrowth.io help protect campaigns with real-time fraud detection, IP blocking, and expert support for refund claims.

Click fraud isn’t just a technical issue—it’s a financial one. By being proactive, advertisers can minimize waste, keep campaigns efficient, and protect their ROI.