How does ad fraud detection work?
Ad fraud detection works by checking every ad request, impression or click against layers of signals: known bad lists (crawlers, data-center IPs), device and browser consistency checks, behavioral patterns, and network-wide analysis that spots coordinated activity. Suspicious traffic is either blocked before an ad is bought (pre-bid) or flagged afterwards (post-bid) so it is excluded from billing.
Detection typically stacks several methods. List-based filters remove GIVT using the IAB/ABC Spiders & Bots List and IP intelligence. Device device fingerprinting checks whether the claimed browser, OS and hardware are consistent. Behavioral analysis looks at timing, mouse and touch patterns, and session depth. At the network level, data anomaly detection spots spikes, identical device clusters and suspicious supply paths across many campaigns, and honeypots lure bots into revealing themselves.
The output feeds two places: Pre-bid filtering segments in a DSP that stop bids on risky inventory, and post-bid measurement reports used for optimization and refunds. Serious vendors seek MRC accreditation from the MRC for their SIVT detection.