Yes. Modern bot detection uses passive behavioral analysis — examining 100-plus browser, network, and hardware signals during a normal session — so real visitors never see a CAPTCHA or challenge. The system scores the full pattern, not any single signal, and only flags traffic when the combined evidence crosses a high-confidence threshold.

Why User-Friendly Bot Detection Matters

Bots on Google Ads and Meta can drain up to 20% of your spend. They imitate real visitors, burn through paid clicks, and skew campaign learning before anyone notices. Traditional defenses — CAPTCHAs, rate limits, IP blacklists — add friction for every visitor. That friction lowers conversion rates, especially on mobile, and still misses sophisticated bots that rotate residential IPs and mimic human mouse movements.

The alternative is passive detection. Instead of interrupting the session, the script observes how the browser behaves: network consistency, timing, pointer dynamics, and automation artifacts. Legitimate users never notice the check. Only traffic that fails the combined pattern test gets flagged for review or refund evidence.

How Passive Behavioral Detection Works

BotRefund's prediction AI sees how 106 browser, network, hardware, and behavior signals fit together before deciding whether a visit is human or automated. Signals become a decision only when they are seen together. No single raw signal — user agent, timezone, IP reputation — triggers a block. The model weighs the full constellation: WebRTC leaks, DNS routing mismatches, TCP TTL consistency, canvas fingerprinting, mouse tremor, click latency, scroll depth, and dozens of other micro-behaviors.

This approach catches bots that use real residential devices (click farms) or headless browsers patched to hide automation properties. Because the check runs client-side during the session, it sees the actual browser environment, not just the HTTP headers that server-side logs capture.

Passive vs. Active Detection: Trade-Offs

Takeaway: Choose passive behavioral detection when you need refund-grade evidence and zero user friction. Choose active challenges only for high-value actions (account creation, checkout) where a step-up is acceptable. Server-side alone is insufficient for modern botnets.

Step-by-Step: Implementing Frictionless Bot Detection

1. Add the client-side script. Place a single async script tag in your site header. It loads in ~1 minute, no credit card required.
2. Let it collect baseline traffic. The script observes every session — network vectors (WebRTC, DNS, TLS), evasion traps (CDP debugger leaks, native patching), and behavior (mouse tremor, click speed, scroll patterns).
3. Review the dashboard. Sessions are scored human or bot with 99% accuracy. Each bot session shows the specific signals that triggered the classification.
4. Export refund-ready reports. For Google Ads, the system captures GCLIDs linked to behavioral proof. For Meta, it captures FBCLIDs. Reports are formatted for the platforms' dispute portals.
5. Submit disputes. BotRefund helps large advertisers and agencies prove invalid clicks, prepare the evidence, and negotiate directly with Google and Meta to recover wasted ad spend.
6. Iterate targeting. Use the cleaned data to exclude bot-heavy placements (e.g., Audience Network) and audiences, so Smart Bidding optimizes toward real buyers.

Key Facts from BotRefund's Detection Engine

This endorsement highlights a practical reality: platform review teams trust evidence that is structured, repeatable, and tied to specific click identifiers. Ad‑hoc screenshots or generic analytics exports rarely meet that bar (S7).

Industry specialists note that the refund process is not a one‑time fix. Ongoing detection is required because bot operators constantly adapt. Services that combine real‑time blocking with retrospective audit trails provide a more complete defense (S4, S5).

Another consideration is the opportunity cost of manual filing. Marketing teams spending hours on evidence collection could instead optimize campaigns. A specialist service shifts that labor to experts who know the exact format each platform expects (S6).

Limitations and when this advice does not apply

Refunds are only granted when you can provide sufficient proof of invalid activity. Platforms may deny claims if the evidence is insufficient or if the clicks fall within normal variance (S7).

The process does not protect against future bot clicks; you need ongoing detection to stop new waste (S2, S4, S5).

Refund windows vary by platform. Google allows claims on spend dating back to 2017, but other platforms may have shorter look‑back periods (S2).

Small advertisers with low monthly spend may find the effort outweighs the potential recovery. A free audit can help decide if the volume justifies a claim (S2).

Refunds are issued as account credits, not cash payouts. The credit applies to future ad spend on the same platform (S7).

Terminology

• Bot clicks: automated interactions that mimic real users but lack human behavior (S4, S5).
• Invalid clicks: traffic that ad platforms agree to credit back when proven invalid (S7).
• GCLID: Google Click Identifier, a parameter added to ad URLs to track clicks (S7).
• Click quality team: the group at Google or Meta that reviews refund requests (S7).
• Scrollbar Width Leak: a browser fingerprinting signal where automated browsers reveal inconsistent scrollbar dimensions (S4).
• Clean Context Iframe: a check that detects when automation tools patch or hide browser APIs, causing inconsistencies in iframe contexts (S5).

FAQ

• How long does a refund request take? Review times vary; many platforms respond within a few weeks (S7, S3).
• What does it cost to use BotRefund? The audit is free; paid plans start after the audit based on your ad spend (S2).
• Can I get a refund for Meta (Facebook) ads? Yes, Meta has a similar invalid traffic refund process (S3, S9).
• Do I need to stop my campaigns while waiting for a refund? No, you can keep running campaigns while the request is processed (S7).
• What if my refund request is denied? You can improve your evidence and resubmit, or consult a specialist service (S7).
• Does Microsoft Ads offer refunds for invalid clicks? Yes, Microsoft Ads has a click‑quality review process for invalid traffic (S7).
• Can I claim refunds for LinkedIn Ads or TikTok Ads? Both platforms provide support channels for invalid click disputes; check with the vendor for current procedures (S7).
• How far back can I claim refunds on Google Ads? BotRefund has recovered refunds from Google Ads spend dating back to 2017 (S2).
• What evidence is most persuasive for a refund claim? GCLID logs paired with client‑side behavioral proof — mouse movement, scroll depth, session timing — and a clear narrative linking anomalies to specific campaigns (S7, S4, S5).

Learn more about this service

See how this page can help with your next step.

Learn more

Can I get a refund for bot clicks without paying a contingency fee?

The short answer

Yes, but only partially. Google automatically filters many invalid clicks and issues credits to your account without you filing a claim. However, Google's automated systems do not catch every bot. Advanced bots using residential proxies, headless browsers, or click farms often look human enough to pass Google's filters. For those clicks, you need to file a manual invalid traffic claim with evidence.

So the honest answer is: automatic refunds happen for some bot traffic, but not all. The rest requires you to prove the clicks were non-human.

What Google filters automatically

Google has built-in invalid traffic detection. It runs on every click before you are billed. When Google's systems identify a click as invalid, they remove it from your account and issue a credit automatically. You do not need to do anything.

This automatic filtering catches the most obvious cases:

• Repeated clicks from the same IP address in a short time
• Clicks from known data center IP ranges
• Clicks from automated scripts with obvious bot signatures
• Clicks that happen faster than a human could physically click

Google also applies a second layer of filtering after the fact. If a pattern emerges over days or weeks, Google may retroactively credit invalid clicks. This is all automatic.

Why automatic filtering is not enough

Google's automatic systems are good, but they are not perfect. Sophisticated bot operators constantly evolve to evade detection.

Here is what slips through:

• Residential proxy botnets — malware on real household computers routes clicks through normal consumer IP addresses. The traffic looks like it comes from real people in real locations.
• Click farms — low-cost workers or script emulators click ads from rows of real smartphones. Because they use actual hardware, they bypass IP-range filters.
• Headless browsers — automated browsers that mimic human behavior, including mouse movement, scrolling, and dwell time. They can trigger conversion events and look like real sessions.
• High-CPC emulator surges — bots that target expensive keywords to drain budget quickly before detection catches up.

Industry audits consistently place automated traffic between 9% and 20% of paid clicks. If Google caught all of it automatically, that number would be much lower.

How to get a refund for bot traffic Google missed

When automatic filtering does not catch a bot, you must file a manual claim. The process works like this:

1. Identify the suspicious clicks. Look for patterns: high click volume with no conversions, clicks from unusual geographic locations, or sessions with near-instant bounce rates.
2. Collect evidence. You need session-level proof. This includes click IDs, timestamps, IP addresses, user agent data, and behavioral signals like mouse movement and scroll patterns.
3. Submit a claim to Google. Google has an invalid traffic dispute form. You provide the evidence and explain why you believe the clicks were invalid.
4. Wait for review. Google's compliance team reviews your claim. Approval rates vary depending on the quality of your evidence.

The key is evidence quality. A spreadsheet of IP addresses is not enough. Google wants to see session-level proof that the clicks were non-human.

What evidence actually works

Google's reviewers look for specific signals that distinguish bots from humans. The strongest evidence includes:

• Behavioral analysis — mouse movement patterns, scroll depth, time on page, and interaction sequences. Bots often move in straight lines or skip content entirely.
• Device integrity checks — GPU information, browser fingerprinting, and headless browser detection.
• Click ID tracing — matching the click ID from your ad platform to the server request log on your website.
• Geo-spoofing detection — clicks that claim to come from one location but show device or network characteristics from another.

Without this kind of forensic evidence, your claim is unlikely to succeed. Google's reviewers see thousands of claims. The ones with detailed session logs get approved. The ones with vague descriptions do not.

How BotRefund handles this

BotRefund is built specifically for this problem. It detects bots with 99% accuracy across 110+ signals, including headless leaks, mouse tremor, GPU integrity, VPN and geo-spoofing defense, and ad click server log audits.

When BotRefund flags a bot click, it automatically builds a compliance-ready evidence dossier. That dossier includes the click ID, the forensic server request logs, and the behavioral analysis. You send that dossier to Google or Meta, and BotRefund negotiates the refund on your behalf.

BotRefund reports an 83% approval rate across filed claims. The company charges 32% of the recovered amount, so you only pay when you get money back.

Key facts at a glance

Limitations and when automatic refunds do not apply

Automatic refunds have real limits. Here is when you should not expect Google to credit you without action:

• When the bot uses residential proxies — the traffic looks like it comes from real homes, so Google's IP-based filters miss it.
• When the bot triggers conversion events — if a bot fills a form or adds to cart, Google's algorithm may treat it as a valid conversion and optimize toward more bot traffic.
• When the bot is slow and deliberate — some bots mimic human pacing, clicking every few minutes rather than in rapid bursts.
• When the traffic comes from the Meta Audience Network — third-party app publishers sometimes use automated clicks to generate revenue, and Meta's default filters do not catch all of it.

In these cases, automatic filtering will not help. You need to take action.

What happens if you ignore bot traffic

Ignoring bot traffic is expensive in more ways than one. The obvious cost is wasted ad spend. But there is a hidden cost that is often worse.

When bots trigger conversion events on your site, they poison your conversion pixel. Google's machine learning systems see those bot sessions as successful conversions. The algorithm then shifts your bidding to acquire more users matching that bot fingerprint. Your campaign starts optimizing for bots instead of buyers.

This creates a feedback loop. More bot traffic leads to more bot conversions, which leads to more bot traffic. Your real conversion rate drops, your cost per acquisition rises, and your campaign performance collapses.

One case study illustrates the scale. Gohaccp.com, a B2B compliance software company, found that 22% of their traffic in Google Performance Max campaigns was bots. BotRefund recovered $32,400 in ad spend and their conversion rate increased by 20% after cleaning the traffic.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google automatically refund bot clicks?

Yes, for some. Google's automated invalid traffic detection filters obvious bots and issues credits without you filing a claim. But advanced bots often slip through.

How long does an automatic refund take?

Automatic credits usually appear within a few days to a couple of weeks. Manual claims can take longer, sometimes several weeks, depending on Google's review queue.

What is the difference between invalid traffic and bot traffic?

Invalid traffic is Google's term for any click that should not be billed. Bot traffic is a subset of invalid traffic. Google also considers accidental double-clicks and intentional competitor clicks as invalid.

Can I get a refund for bot traffic on Meta ads?

Yes. Meta has a similar invalid traffic dispute system. The process is the same: collect evidence, file a claim, and wait for review.

What evidence do I need for a manual claim?

You need session-level proof: click IDs, timestamps, IP addresses, user agent data, and behavioral signals like mouse movement and scroll patterns. A list of IP addresses alone is usually not enough.

How much of my ad spend could be bot traffic?

Industry audits consistently place automated traffic between 9% and 20% of paid clicks. Some campaigns, especially Performance Max and Meta Advantage+, see higher rates.

Do I need technical skills to file a claim?

No, but you need the right evidence. Tools like BotRefund automate evidence collection and claim filing, so you do not need to be a forensic analyst.

Meta may issue ad credits for invalid traffic identified within the last 60–90 days if you provide detailed audit evidence including timestamps, IP patterns, and behavioral anomalies. Older claims are rarely honored but can support future dispute leverage.

Understanding the Mechanics of Meta Audience Network Bot Traffic

When advertisers run campaigns on the Meta Audience Network (MAN), their ads are placed across third-party mobile apps and websites. Unlike the Facebook or Instagram feeds, where Meta controls the environment, MAN relies on thousands of external publishers. This scale creates a larger surface area for automated scripts. Some publishers use bots to click on ads to generate artificial revenue or inflate their performance metrics.

These bots often simulate human-like behavior to bypass basic filters. However, Meta's machine learning algorithms are highly sensitive to signals. If a bot triggers an 'Add to Cart' or 'Lead' event, the algorithm interprets this as a successful conversion. It then shifts your budget to find more similar 'user' profiles, effectively poisoning your pixel and wasting spend on non-human traffic.

Identifying this traffic is difficult because it often originates from residential proxy botnets. These networks route clicks through normal household IP addresses, making them appear legitimate to standard IP-based filters. To get a refund, you must move beyond simple metrics and provide forensic evidence of behavioral anomalies that a human could not replicate.

The Refund Window: Why 90 Days is the Limit

The most critical factor in seeking a refund from Meta is timing. Meta generally considers claims for invalid traffic identified within the last 60 to 90 days. This window aligns with their internal billing reconciliation cycles and data retention policies. Once traffic is older than 90 days, the granular data required for a manual review—such as specific session IDs and device-level fingerprints—is often purged or aggregated into less detailed reports.

If you discover bot traffic from six months ago, the likelihood of receiving a credit is near zero. However, documenting this data is not useless. You can use historical logs to identify systemic vulnerabilities in your campaign strategy. Furthermore, this data can provide leverage in future disputes by showing that a specific placement or audience segment has consistently delivered low-quality traffic over a long period.

To maximize your chances, advertisers should audit their Audience Network performance weekly. If you see a spike in click-through rates (CTR) without a corresponding increase in conversions, you should begin the collection process immediately to ensure the data is still available for Meta's support team to verify.

Required Evidence for a Successful Refund Claim

Meta does not grant refunds based on a simple suspicion or a high bounce rate. You must provide a compliance-ready report that proves the traffic was non-human. Valid evidence typically requires a combination of server-side logs and behavioral analysis. Forensic tools often look for 110+ signals that are impossible for a human to produce consistently.

• IP Patterns and Geolocation: Evidence showing hundreds of clicks from a single IP or clicks from data centers in regions where you do not target ads.
• Behavioral Uniformity: Logs showing multiple sessions with identical click timing (e.g., clicks exactly 2 seconds apart) or identical click paths through your site.
• Engagement Anomalies: Data showing zero scroll depth, instant bounces, or 'Add to Cart' events occurring milliseconds after a page load.
• Device Fingerprints: Identification of headless browser flags (like Puppeteer or Selenium) or missing browser headers that indicate an automated script.

Without these technical details, Meta's support team will likely categorize the traffic as 'low quality' rather than 'invalid.' Using a third-party bot detection service can help aggregate these signals into a format that meets Meta's audit standards.

Step-by-Step Process to File a Meta Refund Request

Filing a claim requires a structured approach. You cannot simply email support with a complaint. Follow these steps to build a case that is difficult for reviewers to dismiss:

1. Export Raw Data: Export your Ads Manager data for the specific date range. Filter specifically for 'Audience Network' placements to isolate the suspected traffic.
2. Cross-Reference with Server Logs: Compare your Ads Manager clicks with your own server-side logs or third-party tracker. Look for discrepancies where Meta recorded a click, but your server shows no actual session or a malformed request.
3. Isolate Suspicious Activity: Group the anomalies. For example, document if 100 clicks came from one IP in under a minute with zero engagement on the site.
4. Compile the Report: Create a clear document that includes timestamps, geolocation anomalies, and device signatures. Use tables to show patterns.
5. Submit via Business Support: Use the Meta Business Support channel. Clearly label the ticket as 'Invalid Traffic Refund' and request an ad credit review based on the attached forensic evidence.

Practical Scenarios: When is a Refund Likely?

Understanding the context of your traffic helps you decide whether to spend your time. Below are two common scenarios:

Scenario A: The Sudden Spike (Likely Success)

You notice a sudden surge in Audience Network clicks. Your CTR jumps from 1% to 15%, but your CRM remains empty. Your forensic tool flags that 80% of these clicks originated from a data center in a country you don't even target. Because this happened within the last 45 days and the evidence is granular, Meta is highly likely to issue an ad credit for those specific invalid clicks.

Scenario B: The Long-Term Leak (Unlikely Success)

During a routine audit, you discover that six months ago, a specific campaign was plagued by bot-like traffic. While the patterns are clear in your historical logs, Meta’s billing systems no longer retain the granular impression-level data needed to validate the claim. In this case, you should use the information to exclude that placement from future campaigns rather than seeking a financial refund.

Limitations and Reality of Meta Refunds

It is important to understand that Meta rarely issues refunds in cash. Even when a claim is approved, the compensation is almost always issued as ad credits that can be applied to future ad spend. Furthermore, Meta's internal teams have significant discretion. If your evidence does not clearly prove 'non-human behavior' versus 'uninterested human behavior,' they may deny the claim.

Non-human traffic consistently consumes 15% to 25% of paid advertising budgets. Because this is so prevalent, the most effective strategy is not just seeking refunds, but prevention. Using client-side pixel suppression to stop bot events from ever reaching the Meta Pixel can prevent your algorithms from optimizing for fake conversions in the first place.

Key Facts Table

Frequently Asked Questions

How far back can I request a refund for Meta Audience Network traffic?

Meta generally only considers claims for invalid traffic identified within the last 60–90 days. Older claims are rarely honored due to data availability and review constraints.

What type of evidence do I need to support a refund request?

You need detailed audit evidence including timestamps, IP patterns, user agent strings, and behavioral anomalies such as zero engagement or identical click sequences.

Will Meta refund me in cash or ad credits?

If approved, Meta typically issues refunds as ad credits that can be applied to future spend, not as cash.

Can I use BotRefund reports as evidence for a Meta claim?

Yes, BotRefund prepares compliance-ready reports using 110+ forensic signals designed to meet Meta’s evidence standards for invalid traffic.

Is it worth pursuing a refund for bot traffic older than 90 days?

While unlikely to result in a refund, documenting historical bot traffic can help identify systemic vulnerabilities for future optimizations.

Does Meta automatically refund for bot traffic, or must I request it?

Meta does not automatically refund for bot traffic. You must proactively submit a claim with supporting evidence through their Support channel.

What increases my chances of getting a refund approved?

Acting quickly, providing granular and correlated evidence, focusing on recent traffic (within 90 days), and clearly linking the invalid activity to Meta Audience Network placements improves your odds.

Yes, you can request a refund for bot traffic that Google Ads missed. Google's automatic filters do not catch every invalid click. The advertiser must prove the traffic was not human. Approval is not guaranteed, but the process is real.

According to aggregated audit data, Google's automated systems catch less than 50% of invalid traffic. The rest is classified as sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT). SIVT needs manual evidence. This article shows what evidence to collect and how to request a credit.

What Counts as Invalid Activity in Google Ads

Google defines invalid activity as clicks or impressions that do not come from genuine user interest. This includes:

• Repeated manual clicks from the same user
• Clicks from automated tools, bots, or other deceptive software
• Accidental taps on mobile ads
• Clicks from known data center IP ranges
• Impression fraud from automated page refresh tools
• Clicks meant to exhaust a competitor's budget

When Google spots these patterns, it may issue an invalid activity credit. Some of these are easy to catch. Others are not. Accidental mobile taps often look human. Bots built to imitate people can look even more human.

Why Google Misses Some Bot Traffic

Google's automated detection uses server-level signals. It checks for rapid clicking from one IP address, duplicate click signatures, known bad IPs, and abnormal click patterns. These filters work well against straightforward bots. They struggle with SIVT.

SIVT uses residential proxies, real devices, and human-like behavior. A bot can move a mouse, scroll a page, and wait before leaving. None of those actions trigger a server-level filter. The click still appears in your billing.

Industry audits place automated traffic between 9% and 20% of paid clicks. For Google Ads campaigns, the average invalid click rate is 11% to 14%. Google catches less than half of it. The rest is left for manual review.

Why does this matter? High-CPC verticals feel it first. A single invalid click can be expensive. Over a month, the wasted budget can reach thousands. Global ad fraud is projected to exceed $100 billion in 2026. Google Ads is a large target because it controls over 28% of global digital ad revenue.

Automatic Credits vs. Manual Claims

Google issues automatic credits when its own systems detect invalid activity. You do not need to do anything for those clicks. Check your billing summary first. If a click already received an invalid activity credit, a second claim is a duplicate.

Manual claims are for invalid activity that Google missed. You must file an investigation request. You must attach proof. Google does not search your account for SIVT on its own.

Not every manual claim wins. The result depends on the strength of the evidence. Strong claims tie each suspicious click to a specific non-human behavior. Weak claims describe traffic patterns in general.

Decision criteria: file only if you can identify individual GCLIDs and collect behavioral data. If you only have server logs, approval is unlikely.

How to Request a Refund for Missed Bot Traffic

Follow this process. It is the same shape used by advertisers and third-party recovery services.

1. Look for suspicious patterns in Google Ads reports. High CTR with zero conversions is a common sign. So are spikes from one region, one device type, or one time window. These patterns only tell you where to look.
2. Install client-side detection on your landing pages. Server logs capture IP addresses and user agents. They do not capture mouse movement, scroll depth, or session behavior. Add a tag that records those signals.
3. Capture the GCLID for every suspicious click. The gclid URL parameter identifies the click in Google's billing system. Without it, Google cannot connect your evidence to an invoice line.
4. Build a behavioral file for each GCLID. Include data points that separate bots from people. Examples include ghost clicks with no human intent, honeypot interactions, robotic straight-line mouse paths, absence of human tremor, input speeds under 1ms, grid-aligned movement, no scrolling, and unnatural session durations.
5. Submit an invalid activity investigation request through Google Ads Help. Organize the evidence by GCLID, campaign, and date. Do not mix SIVT with general invalid traffic in one pile.
6. Wait for Google's review. Google may approve the claim, ask for more data, or deny it. If denied, add stronger per-click evidence and resubmit. Persistence matters, but only when the data is clean.

What Evidence Do You Need?

Google's review team needs client-side proof. Server-side IP analysis rarely works for SIVT. The bot may sit on a residential IP address or a real smartphone. The IP looks normal, even though the behavior is not.

Useful evidence includes:

• Ghost click detection: clicks that occur without the natural sequence of human intent
• Honeypot traps: interactions with hidden elements that no real user sees
• Mouse movement: robotic straight paths instead of natural curves
• Tremor analysis: absence of the tiny jitter found in human hands
• Speed analysis: input faster than 1ms
• Path analysis: grid-aligned movement patterns
• Engagement analysis: no clicks, no scrolling, or both
• Session behavior: visit lengths that are too short, too long, or too uniform

These signals work as a set. One missing behavior is not enough. The evidence must show a pattern of non-human behavior across the session.

Third-party tools can help here. BotRefund captures GCLIDs, builds behavioral evidence, and generates audit-ready refund dispute reports.

Common Reasons Refund Claims Fail

Refund requests often fail for avoidable reasons:

• Submitting only IP addresses or geographic data
• Filing duplicate claims for clicks Google already credited
• Using generic bot reports that do not tie a GCLID to a behavior
• Mixing SIVT and GIVT in the same submission
• Providing no client-side session data

Avoid these mistakes. The goal is to make Google's reviewer able to verify the click in minutes.

Limitations and When This Process Does Not Apply

Manual refund requests have limits. Google may decline a claim even with good evidence. The process is not a guarantee.

This article covers Google Ads. Meta has a separate refund process for Facebook and Instagram ads. If your bot traffic comes from Meta, use that system.

Click fraud blockers are not the same as refund services. Blockers filter traffic before it reaches your site. They reduce future waste. They do not recover money already billed. Refund claims recover past waste. You may need both.

Some third-party services handle the work for you. BotRefund says it can pursue Google Ads spend dating back to 2017. It also says no ad-account access is required. You add one script tag in about one minute.

Vendor claims should be verified. Use their audit before relying on projected savings.

How Third-Party Services Can Help

Manual claims are time-consuming. You need to collect GCLIDs, record behavior, and organize evidence. Third-party services automate parts of that work.

BotRefund is one service. It says it identifies non-human traffic with 99% confidence. It reports an 83% approval rate for claims filed on behalf of clients. It says it has recovered over $100 million in wasted ad spend across more than 2,500 brands.

It does not ask for ad-account access. The service uses one script tag on your site. It captures evidence as traffic arrives. Fees are not charged upfront. They come from the recovered amount.

Key Facts

FAQ

Can I get a refund for bot traffic that Google Ads missed?

Yes. You must request an investigation and provide manual evidence. Google does not automatically refund SIVT. Approval is not guaranteed.

What is the difference between GIVT and SIVT?

GIVT is general invalid traffic. Google catches it with automated filters. SIVT is sophisticated invalid traffic. It mimics human behavior and needs manual evidence.

What if Google denies my refund claim?

You can submit more evidence. Organize it by GCLID and focus on behavioral anomalies. A second request may succeed if the first lacked proof.

Do I need to give a third-party tool access to my Google Ads account?

Not with BotRefund. The service says no ad-account access is required. You install one script tag on your site.

Does this process work for Meta ads?

Google and Meta have separate systems. BotRefund works with both. The evidence requirements are similar.

How much does it cost to use a refund service?

BotRefund charges no upfront fee. Its fee comes from recovered spend. Direct requests to Google have no third-party fee, but they require manual work.

How far back can I recover spend?

BotRefund says it can recover Google Ads spend dating back to 2017. Check with the vendor for your specific case.