Click fraud on search ads has been around for a long time. But now, bad guys are using botnets to commit click fraud in a fully automated way.

1. Augustine Fou- 1 -
What Click Fraud
Looks Like
Dr. Augustine Fou
http://linkd.in/augustinefou
acfou @mktsci .com
June 2014

2. Augustine Fou- 2 -
Bots Type Search Term
buy eye cream online
(expensive CPC keyword)
healthsiteproduc tionalways.com

3. Augustine Fou- 3 -
Bots Click Search Ad
Olay.com ad
in #1 position

4. Augustine Fou- 4 -
Redirect Link(s)
Known blackhat
technique to hide real
referrer and replace
with faked referrer.
SIX (6) redirects
before ending on the
landing page
See how-to:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/
blackhat-seo/cloaking-content-
generators/36830-cloaking-
redirect-referer.html

5. Augustine Fou- 5 -
Pass Fake URL Trackers
Click thru URL
passing fake source
http://www.olay.com/skin-
care-products/OlayPro-
X?utm_source=msn&utm
_medium=cpc&utm_camp
aign=Olay_Search_Deskto
p_Category+Interest+Prod
uct.Phrase&utm_term=eye
%20cream&utm_content=
TZsrSzFz_eye%20cream_
p_2990456911

6. Augustine Fou- 6 -
Dr. Augustine Fou – Digital Consigliere
“I research ad fraud so I can advise
clients on how to detect and mitigate it.
This has the most direct mpact on the
ROI of their digital marketing
programs.”
FORMER CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER, HCG (OMNICOM)
MCKINSEY CONSULTANT
CLIENT SIDE / AGENCY SIDE EXPERIENCE
PROFESSOR AND COLUMNIST
ENTREPRENEUR / SMALL BUSINESS OWNER
PHD MATERIALS SCIENCE (MIT '95) AT AGE 23
@acfou
ClickZ Articles: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-clickz
Slideshares: http://bit.ly/augustine-fou-slideshares
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/84444-augustinefou

7. Augustine Fou- 7 -
Related Articles
Augustine Fou- 7 -
http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou/how-click-fraud-search-ad-fraud-
works-analysis-by-augustine-fou
http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou/proof-positive-click-fraud-
impacting-retailers-by-augustine-fou
http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou/proof-positive-click-fraud-sites-
investigation-by-augustine-fou
http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou/facebook-ad-fraud-corroborated-by-
augustine-fou-ad-fraud-forensics
http://www.slideshare.net/augustinefou/ad-fraud-estimates-by-augustine-fou-
technical-forensics-32293935