Yes, you can request a refund for bot clicks on Google Ads if you report invalid traffic within 60 days. Google does not guarantee approval, but it does offer a billing dispute process for advertisers who can show that automated or fraudulent clicks inflated their costs. To have a realistic chance, you need more than a complaint about poor lead quality. You need evidence that specific clicks were non-human, such as behavioral telemetry, click IDs, timestamps, and spend data that does not match real customer activity.

What Counts as Invalid Traffic in Google Ads

Invalid traffic is any click or impression that Google determines was not generated by a real person with genuine interest. Google splits invalid traffic into two broad groups: general invalid traffic and sophisticated invalid traffic.

General invalid traffic includes simple bots, crawlers, and automated scripts that Google can identify and filter automatically. These clicks are usually removed from your bill before you even see them. Sophisticated invalid traffic is harder to catch. It includes click farms, malware-infected devices, residential proxy botnets, and emulators that mimic human behavior. These clicks often appear in your reports as normal activity, which is why advertisers must investigate them manually.

For a refund claim, the key distinction is whether the traffic was truly invalid under Google’s policy. A click from a real person who simply did not buy is not invalid. A click from a script that loaded your landing page and triggered a conversion event is invalid. Your evidence must show the difference.

How Google's Invalid Click Filtering Works

Google runs automated filters on every ad click. These filters look at IP addresses, user agents, click timing, and other server-side signals. When the system detects obvious bot patterns, it removes those clicks from your bill automatically. This is why many advertisers see small adjustments labeled as “invalid clicks” in their Google Ads account.

However, automated filters have limits. Sophisticated bots use residential proxies, real device fingerprints, and human-like mouse movements. They can bypass IP-based blocking and user-agent checks. Google’s filters may not catch these clicks in real time, especially when bots spread activity across many devices and networks.

This is why Google also allows manual reporting. Advertisers can submit evidence of invalid traffic that the automated system missed. The manual review process is not a guarantee of a refund, but it is the only path for recovering spend from sophisticated bot activity.

Detailed Refund Request Workflow

Follow these steps in order. Each step builds the evidence you need for a credible claim.

1. Audit sessions using client-side behavioral data. Client-side telemetry is information collected inside the visitor’s browser, such as mouse movements, scroll depth, keypress timing, and focus events. Server-side logs only show IP addresses and user agents, which bots can spoof. Client-side data reveals superhuman input speeds, perfectly straight pointer paths, missing mouse tremor, and sessions with no scrolling or engagement.
2. Compile click IDs and timestamps. Google Ads assigns a click ID, often called a GCLID, to each ad click. Collect the GCLIDs for suspicious sessions. Record the exact timestamp of each click and the landing page URL. This lets Google trace the specific clicks you are disputing.
3. Show spend spikes without correlated CRM leads. Pull your Google Ads spend report for the affected period. Compare it with your CRM or sales data. If ad spend spiked sharply while leads, calls, or purchases stayed flat, that gap supports your claim. A bot wave often produces high click volume and zero real conversions.
4. Submit the invalid traffic report through Google Ads. Go to the Google Ads Help Center and open a billing or invalid clicks dispute. Attach your evidence: GCLIDs, timestamps, behavioral logs, and the spend-versus-leads comparison. Explain clearly why the clicks were non-human.
5. Monitor case status. Google may take several days or weeks to review. Check your email and the support case for updates. Respond quickly if Google asks for more data.
6. Follow up if the claim is denied. If Google rejects the claim, ask for the specific reason. You may be able to submit additional evidence, such as more granular behavioral logs or a corrected date range. Keep records of every communication.

What Happens After You Submit a Claim

After you submit a claim, Google reviews the evidence against its internal traffic quality data. The review may confirm that some clicks were invalid and issue a credit to your account. The credit usually appears as an adjustment on a future invoice rather than a cash refund to your bank account.

If Google cannot verify the invalid activity, it will deny the claim. Common reasons for denial include insufficient evidence, claims outside the 60-day window, or clicks that Google classifies as valid but low-quality. A denial is not always final. You can ask for clarification and submit stronger evidence if you have it.

The timeline varies. Some advertisers report responses within days. Others wait weeks. High-volume advertisers with detailed forensic logs tend to get faster, more favorable outcomes because the evidence is easier for Google to verify.

Realistic Limitations of Refund Approval

Refunds are possible, but they are not automatic. Google’s default position is that its automated filters already removed invalid traffic. To overturn that position, you must prove that specific clicks were non-human and that Google missed them.

Several limitations apply. First, the 60-day window is strict. If you wait too long, Google may refuse to review the claim at all. Second, Google rarely refunds based on “bad leads” or “low conversion rates.” A real person who clicked and left is not a bot. Third, Google may only credit a portion of the disputed amount. The final credit depends on how many clicks Google can independently verify as invalid.

Finally, the burden of proof is on you. Google will not run a forensic audit of your traffic. You must bring the evidence. Advertisers who rely only on Google Analytics or server logs often fail because those tools cannot distinguish a sophisticated bot from a distracted human.

How to Prevent Bots From Clicking Your Ads

Prevention is more reliable than recovery. The most effective approach is to block bots before they trigger your conversion pixels. This protects both your budget and your campaign data.

Start with client-side behavioral verification. This means adding a script to your landing pages that checks for human signals: mouse tremor, natural pointer curves, realistic input timing, scrolling, and focus events. When a session fails these checks, the script can suppress the conversion pixel so Google’s machine learning does not record a fake conversion.

This matters because of pixel poisoning. When bots trigger conversion events, Google’s smart bidding learns to find more users like those bots. Your campaign then optimizes toward fake traffic, raising your cost per acquisition and lowering real lead quality. Blocking bot conversions stops this feedback loop.

You can also reduce exposure by excluding low-quality placements, tightening geo-targeting, and monitoring for sudden click spikes. But behavioral verification is the strongest defense because it works at the browser level, where sophisticated bots reveal themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have a bot problem?

Look for high click-through rates combined with near-zero conversion rates, or a sudden, unexplained spike in traffic that does not produce CRM leads. Also check for sessions with superhuman input speeds, no scrolling, or perfectly straight mouse paths.

Does Google automatically catch all bots?

No. Google filters basic invalid traffic, but sophisticated bots that mimic human mouse movements and dwell times often bypass these initial filters. Manual reporting is needed for those cases.

What is the “60-day rule”?

Google’s policy generally limits the window for disputing invalid clicks to 60 days from the date of the invoice. Acting quickly is essential.

What evidence does Google require for a refund?

Google expects specific, verifiable evidence: click IDs, timestamps, landing page URLs, behavioral logs showing non-human patterns, and spend data that does not match real leads or sales.

Can I prevent bots from clicking my ads?

Yes. By implementing behavioral verification, you can identify and suppress bot interactions before they trigger your conversion pixels, preventing both budget waste and algorithmic poisoning.

Yes, Google Ads refunds money for bot clicks — but only if you prove the clicks were invalid. Google's automated systems filter out some fraudulent traffic before you're billed, yet they catch less than 50% of invalid clicks according to aggregated audit data. The rest, classified as sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT), requires you to submit evidence and request a manual review.

How Google's Invalid Click System Works

Google runs two layers of protection. The first is automatic: filters analyze IP addresses, click patterns, and known bot signatures in real time. These filters remove obvious fraud before it reaches your invoice. The second layer is manual. When advertisers spot suspicious activity that slipped through, they can file a refund request through the Google Ads interface. Google's traffic quality team then reviews the evidence and decides whether to issue a credit.

Automated filters miss a lot. Industry data shows an 11% to 14% average invalid click rate across all Google Ads campaigns, while Google's own filters catch less than half of that. High-CPC verticals like legal, insurance, and B2B SaaS see even higher invalid traffic rates. The gap between what Google catches automatically and what actually occurs is where your money disappears — unless you act.

What Counts as Invalid Traffic

Google defines invalid traffic as clicks that don't come from genuine user interest. This includes:

• Automated scripts and bots that click ads programmatically
• Competitor click fraud — rivals deliberately draining your budget
• Click farms where low-cost workers or device emulators click ads
• Accidental clicks from deceptive ad placements or forced redirects
• Traffic from known data-center IP ranges and VPN exit nodes

Not all low-quality traffic qualifies. Real users who bounce quickly, don't convert, or match your targeting poorly are still valid clicks. The distinction matters because Google only refunds traffic it classifies as invalid, not traffic that simply performs badly.

Step-by-Step Refund Request Process

1. Open the Invalid Clicks Contact Form — In Google Ads, go to Help > Contact Us > Invalid Clicks. Choose "Request a refund for invalid clicks."
2. Select the Campaigns and Date Range — Be specific. Narrow the window to periods where you see clear anomalies: sudden CTR spikes, traffic from unusual geographies, or clicks with zero on-site engagement.
3. Attach Behavioral Evidence — This is the critical step. Google expects client-side data: mouse movement patterns, scroll depth, session duration, form interaction timestamps, and GCLID-level click IDs. Server logs alone rarely suffice for SIVT cases.
4. Explain the Pattern — Write a concise narrative: what you observed, when it started, which campaigns were affected, and why the traffic fails human behavior benchmarks. Reference specific anomalies like superhuman input speed (<1ms), grid-aligned mouse paths, or absence of humanlike tremor.
5. Submit and Wait — Google typically responds in 5–10 business days. Approved refunds appear as credits in your billing summary. Denials include a generic reason; you can reply once with additional evidence.

Evidence Google Actually Accepts

Google's traffic quality team looks for behavioral proof that a human couldn't have generated the clicks. Strong evidence includes:

• GCLID-level click IDs tied to sessions showing no scrolling, no mouse movement, or instant bounces
• Pointer behavior logs showing robotic linear movements, grid-aligned paths, or missing micro-tremors
• Speed metrics — interactions faster than 1 millisecond, form completions in under 2 seconds
• Session anomalies — durations too short, too long, or suspiciously uniform across many visits
• Honeypot interactions — clicks on hidden page elements that real users never see

Server-side data (IP, user agent, referrer) helps but isn't enough on its own. Sophisticated botnets use residential proxies and real device fingerprints that pass server checks. Client-side behavioral tracking is what separates a winning dispute from a denial.

Time Limits and Lookback Windows

Google generally accepts refund requests for clicks within the last 60 days. However, some advertisers have successfully recovered spend dating back to 2017 by providing comprehensive evidence and escalating through account representatives. The further back you go, the higher the evidence bar. For recent campaigns, file within 30 days of noticing the anomaly for the smoothest process.

Common Mistakes That Get Requests Denied

How BotRefund Helps Automate This Process

BotRefund installs on your site in about a minute and captures the behavioral evidence Google requires: GCLIDs tied to mouse paths, scroll depth, input speed, honeypot triggers, and session anomalies. It detects ghost clicks (activity without human intent sequence), trap interactions, pointer behavior anomalies, and superhuman speeds. The platform then compiles audit-ready dispute reports formatted for Google's review team.

For high-volume advertisers, BotRefund reports an 83% refund success rate. It also negotiates directly with Google and Meta on your behalf, handling the back-and-forth that often follows an initial submission. The tool protects conversion pixels from bot poisoning in real time, so your optimization algorithms stop learning from fake traffic.

Key Facts at a Glance

Limitations and When This Doesn't Apply

• Google Display Network and YouTube — Refund processes differ; evidence standards are stricter for view-based billing.
• Smart Campaigns and Performance Max — Limited transparency into placement-level data makes evidence gathering harder.
• Low-spend accounts — Google prioritizes reviews for advertisers with significant monthly spend; small accounts may get template denials.
• Traffic from approved partners — Some third-party inventory is contractually excluded from standard invalid click protections.

FAQ

How long does a Google Ads refund take?

Typically 5–10 business days for the initial review. If approved, the credit appears in your next billing cycle. Escalations or appeals can add 2–4 weeks.

Can I get a refund for clicks from VPNs or data centers?

Only if you prove the behavior was non-human. IP reputation alone isn't enough — many legitimate users browse via VPN. Pair IP data with behavioral anomalies (no mouse movement, superhuman speed) for a viable claim.

What's the difference between GIVT and SIVT?

General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) is caught by Google's automated filters: known bots, spiders, data-center IPs. Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) mimics human behavior well enough to bypass filters — residential proxies, device farms, advanced botnets. SIVT requires manual evidence submission.

Do I need a tool like BotRefund to get a refund?

No. You can manually collect client-side data using JavaScript event listeners and build your own reports. But it's time-intensive and easy to miss the specific behavioral markers Google's reviewers look for. Tools automate capture, formatting, and submission.

Will requesting refunds hurt my account standing?

No. Google encourages advertisers to report invalid traffic. Legitimate refund requests don't trigger penalties. However, repeatedly filing frivolous claims with no evidence may flag your account for closer scrutiny.

Can I prevent bot clicks instead of just getting refunds?

Yes. Real-time detection can block bots from seeing your ads or landing pages, and exclude their IPs from targeting. BotRefund does this while also preserving the evidence trail for refunds on any clicks that slip through.

What if Google denies my refund request?

You get one reply. Add stronger evidence: more GCLIDs, longer date ranges, comparative behavioral baselines from clean periods. If denied again, escalate through your Google account representative (if you have one) or re-file with a tighter, better-documented case.

Yes, you can get a refund for bot clicks on your Facebook ads — but only if those clicks meet Meta's definition of invalid traffic and you supply the evidence the platform requires. Meta's automated systems filter some fraudulent clicks before you are billed, yet a significant portion slips through because modern bots mimic human behavior on real devices and residential IPs. To recover that money, you must run a client-side audit that records how each visitor actually behaves, package the findings into a compliance-ready report, and submit a manual billing dispute to Meta's support team. Advertisers who follow this process recover up to 20% of their Meta ad spend, and the platform approves roughly 83% of well-documented claims.

What Counts as Invalid Traffic on Meta Ads

Meta divides traffic into two categories: valid (human visitors) and invalid (automated interactions). Invalid traffic includes clicks from click farms — low-cost labor or script emulators on real smartphones — residential proxy botnets that route traffic through ordinary household IPs, and the Meta Audience Network, where third-party publishers run bots to inflate their own revenue. Accidental mobile taps and competitor click fraud also qualify. The common thread is that the interaction lacks genuine user interest in your offer.

Not every low-quality lead is a bot. A weak campaign can attract real people who simply aren't ready to buy. Treating every unresponsive contact as fraud risks excluding valuable audiences. The distinction matters because Meta only refunds traffic it classifies as invalid, not traffic that merely converts poorly.

How Meta's Refund Process Actually Works

Meta does not publish a public refund form or a fixed review window. Instead, it operates a manual billing dispute system. When its automated filters detect invalid activity, credits appear automatically in your Ads Manager. For everything the filters miss, you must open a case with a Meta representative, present forensic evidence, and request a credit. The platform evaluates each submission on its merits; there is no guarantee of approval.

This differs sharply from Google Ads, which runs an Invalid Activity Credit program with more transparent automation and a defined claim process. On Meta, the burden of proof sits squarely on the advertiser.

Why Default Filters Miss Most Bot Traffic

Meta's server-side filters analyze IP reputation, request headers, and user-agent strings. They catch basic scrapers and known data-center ranges. They struggle against residential proxy botnets — malware on real consumer devices that routes clicks through legitimate home IPs — and click farms that use actual mobile hardware. Both appear as normal users at the network layer.

The Audience Network compounds the problem. Meta opts advertisers in by default, placing ads on thousands of third-party apps and sites. Many publishers on this network deploy bots that generate high click-through rates and near-instant bounces. Because the traffic originates from real devices on residential IPs, server-side filters rarely flag it.

The Evidence You Need for a Successful Claim

Meta requires behavioral proof that the clicks were automated. Server logs alone are insufficient. You need client-side data captured in the visitor's browser: mouse movement patterns (or their absence), scroll depth, form completion speed, click-path uniformity, session duration anomalies, and interactions with hidden honeypot elements. Each bot visit should be recorded with a video replay and tied to the FBCLID (Facebook Click ID) that Meta uses for attribution.

Strong claims also correlate three data layers: ad-platform metrics (placement, creative, audience), website session behavior, and CRM outcomes (contactability, demo bookings, qualified opportunities). A sharp lead-quality drop on a specific placement, paired with zero scroll events and disconnected phone numbers, builds a case Meta cannot easily dismiss.

Step-by-Step: From Detection to Refund Submission

1. Install client-side detection. Add a lightweight script that records behavioral signals — pointer tremor, input speed, grid-aligned movement, ghost clicks, trap interactions — and captures the FBCLID for every paid click.
2. Run a free audit. Let the script collect traffic for 7–14 days without changing campaigns. Preserve attribution data before any optimization.
3. Export the dispute report. The tool should generate a compliance-ready PDF or CSV that lists each suspicious session, its FBCLID, the behavioral flags triggered, and a video replay link.
4. Correlate with CRM outcomes. Match flagged FBCLIDs to leads that never connected, bounced instantly, or showed identical form fingerprints.
5. Open a billing dispute. Contact your Meta representative or use the Ads Manager support channel. Attach the report, summarize the invalid-traffic percentage by campaign and placement, and request a credit for the affected spend.
6. Follow up. Meta may ask for additional context. Respond promptly with the same structured evidence. Approved credits appear as a line item in your billing summary.

Common Mistakes That Kill Refund Claims

• Relying only on server logs. IP and user-agent data cannot prove automation on residential proxies or real devices.
• Changing campaigns before preserving attribution. Pausing ads or switching placements erases the FBCLID trail Meta needs to verify the spend.
• Submitting raw analytics screenshots. Meta reps need structured, session-level evidence tied to click IDs, not aggregate charts.
• Claiming refunds for low-quality human traffic. Poor targeting or weak creative does not meet the invalid-traffic threshold.
• Ignoring the Audience Network. Opting out after the fact does not recover past spend; you must audit and claim for the period you were opted in.

Limitations and When This Advice Does Not Apply

This process applies to Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) billed on a click or impression basis. It does not cover organic social traffic, influencer partnerships, or non-Meta platforms. Refunds are issued as ad credits, not cash, and apply only to future spend on the same ad account. Accounts with policy violations or unresolved billing issues may be ineligible. The 20% recovery figure and 83% approval rate are aggregate averages from BotRefund's client base; individual results vary by vertical, geography, and traffic mix. Meta's policies can change without notice; always verify current terms before filing.

Key Facts

FAQ

Does Meta automatically refund all bot clicks?

No. Meta's automated filters catch only a portion — mainly obvious data-center traffic and rapid-fire clicks. Sophisticated bots on residential IPs and real devices bypass these filters, so most invalid clicks require a manual dispute with evidence.

How long does a Meta refund claim take?

There is no published timeline. Claims with complete client-side reports and FBCLID correlation typically resolve in 2–6 weeks, depending on the support queue and whether Meta requests additional data.

Can I get a cash refund instead of ad credits?

Meta issues refunds as ad credits applied to the same ad account for future spend. Cash payouts are not standard practice.

What if I already opted out of the Audience Network?

Opting out stops future spend on that placement. It does not recover money already spent. You must still audit the period you were opted in and file a dispute for those clicks.

Do I need a developer to install the detection script?

No. The script adds to your site like Google Analytics — one line in the <head> or via a tag manager. No code changes or credit card required for the free audit.

Will filing a dispute hurt my ad account standing?

No. Submitting a legitimate invalid-traffic claim with proper evidence is a normal advertiser right. Accounts are not penalized for using Meta's dispute process.

How does this differ from Google Ads invalid activity credits?

Google runs a more automated Invalid Activity Credit program with defined categories and a claim form. Meta relies on manual disputes with no public form, making client-side evidence essential.

Understanding Bot Clicks and Google Ads Refunds

If you're running Google Ads, you might be concerned about bot clicks. These are automated clicks generated by bots, not real users. They can significantly inflate your ad spend without bringing any real value to your business. The good news is that Google recognizes bot clicks as invalid traffic. This means you can indeed get a refund for these fraudulent clicks if you can prove they occurred.

Google's advertising policies aim to protect advertisers from paying for clicks that are not from genuine potential customers. When bot traffic hits your ads, it wastes your budget and skews your campaign performance data. Fortunately, there are ways to identify this traffic and pursue a refund from Google.

Google Ads vs. Meta Ads Refund Policies

Both platforms allow refunds for invalid traffic, but the process differs. Google often automates this, while Meta may require manual intervention. Using a service like BotRefund can streamline this for both.

Why Bot Clicks Are a Problem for Advertisers

Bot clicks are a form of ad fraud. They are generated by automated programs designed to mimic human behavior. These bots can be used for various malicious purposes, including inflating ad metrics, draining competitor budgets, or generating fake engagement. For advertisers, the primary concern is the direct financial loss. When bots click your ads, you are charged for those clicks, even though they will never convert into leads or sales.

Beyond the direct cost, bot traffic can also harm your campaign's performance. It can lead to skewed data, making it difficult to understand what's working and what isn't. This can result in poor optimization decisions, further wasting your ad spend. Moreover, if bots trigger conversion events, they can poison your conversion tracking data, leading ad platforms to optimize for bot behavior instead of real customer intent.

How Google Handles Invalid Clicks

Google has systems in place to detect and filter out invalid clicks. These systems analyze various factors, including IP addresses, click patterns, and device information, to identify non-human traffic. When invalid clicks are detected by Google's systems, they are typically not charged to the advertiser. Google automatically refunds advertisers for these detected invalid clicks.

However, sophisticated bots can be difficult to detect. They often mimic human behavior closely, using real IP addresses and varying click patterns. In such cases, Google's automated systems might not catch all of them. This is where manual evidence and specialized tools become crucial for identifying and reclaiming spend on bot clicks that slip through the cracks.

Real-World Case Studies

Industry audits consistently place automated traffic between 9% and 20% of paid clicks. This means a significant portion of your budget could be going to bots. For example, a global payment technology company faced massive search campaign traffic surges. Their conversion rates were low, indicating ad campaigns were targets for advanced botnets.

Initially, their security console showed only 5-6% bot traffic. After implementing a specialized detection system, they doubled the amount detected by analyzing behavior on-site. This proved that standard tools alone were not enough. They recovered substantial ad spend by identifying these hidden bots.

Another case involved a small business losing thousands every year to click fraud. Without enterprise-grade protection, they could not afford the waste. By using a service tailored for small businesses, they gained access to advanced detection. This allowed them to recover lost funds without a dedicated security team.

Step-by-Step Refund Claim Workflow

If you suspect you've been charged for bot clicks, the first step is to review your Google Ads account for any anomalies. Look for unusually high click volumes with low conversion rates, or sudden spikes in traffic from specific regions or IP ranges. If you have evidence, you can contact Google Ads support to initiate a refund claim.

The process typically involves submitting your collected evidence to Google. They will then review the claim. Having well-documented proof is essential for a successful outcome. For many advertisers, the complexity and time involved in gathering and submitting this evidence make using a specialized service more efficient and effective.

Specialized services like BotRefund handle this complexity. They use over 110 forensic signals to detect bots that Google's systems might miss. They automatically gather and prepare compliance-ready evidence dossiers for refund claims. They negotiate directly with Google and Meta on your behalf, leveraging their expertise to maximize refund approval rates.

BotRefund identifies non-human traffic on your site with 99% confidence. They build compliance-grade evidence for every flagged click. They negotiate refunds through the platforms' own invalid-traffic channels. This process has an 83% approval rate across filed claims. They offer a free traffic audit to estimate your recoverable spend.

Gathering Evidence for a Refund Claim

To successfully claim a refund for bot clicks that Google's automated systems may have missed, you need to gather strong evidence. This evidence should clearly demonstrate that the clicks were not from genuine users. Key types of evidence include:

• Behavioral Data: Detailed logs showing unusual patterns, such as clicks from the same IP address in rapid succession, extremely short visit durations, or repetitive navigation.
• Forensic Signals: Advanced metrics like mouse tremor, GPU integrity, and headless browser detection can pinpoint automated activity.
• Click IDs and Server Logs: Traceable click IDs (like GCLIDs for Google Ads) and server request logs can provide a forensic trail of bot activity.
• Comparison with Other Tools: Data from third-party bot detection tools that show a significantly higher bot rate than what Google's own reports indicate can be compelling.

Tools like BotRefund specialize in collecting this type of forensic data. They analyze over 110 signals to identify non-human traffic and prepare evidence dossiers that are compliance-ready for platforms like Google and Meta.

Limitations and When Refunds May Not Apply

While Google aims to refund invalid clicks, there are limitations. Google's automated systems are designed to catch the majority of obvious bot traffic. If the bot activity is extremely sophisticated and perfectly mimics human behavior, it might not be flagged by Google's internal systems. In such cases, proving the invalidity of the clicks becomes your responsibility.

Furthermore, refunds are generally for clicks that are definitively proven to be invalid. Accidental clicks by real users, or clicks from users with poor internet connections, are typically not considered grounds for a refund. The focus is on automated, fraudulent, or accidental invalid activity that Google's systems should ideally prevent.

Additionally, if you cannot provide sufficient evidence, your claim may be denied. This is why specialized services are valuable. They ensure the evidence meets the platform's compliance standards. Without this, even valid claims might fail due to lack of documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if my Google Ads clicks are from bots?

Look for unusually high click volume with very low conversion rates, sub-second bounce rates, repetitive navigation patterns, or clicks from suspicious IP addresses. Specialized tools offer more advanced detection methods.

Does Google automatically refund bot clicks?

Yes, Google's systems automatically detect and refund many invalid clicks. However, sophisticated bots may require manual evidence for a refund claim.

What evidence do I need to claim a refund?

You need proof of automated traffic, such as detailed behavioral logs, forensic signals, server logs, and traceable click IDs. Comparison data from bot detection tools is also valuable.

How long does it take to get a refund from Google Ads?

The timeline can vary. Google reviews claims, and the process can take days to weeks. Specialized services often expedite this by handling negotiations directly.

Can I get a refund for bot clicks on other platforms like Meta Ads?

Yes, similar to Google Ads, Meta (Facebook/Instagram) also has policies for invalid traffic and offers refund mechanisms for bot clicks. Specialized services often handle refunds for both platforms.

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.

Yes, you can get a refund for competitor click fraud on Google Ads. Google classifies clicks intended to exhaust an advertiser's budget as invalid activity, which makes them eligible for credits. However, Google's automated systems catch less than 50% of invalid traffic, so most competitor fraud requires you to build a manual evidence package and submit a billing dispute.

What Counts as Competitor Click Fraud

Competitor click fraud happens when a rival business — or someone they hire — clicks your ads deliberately to drain your budget. This differs from accidental clicks or general bot traffic because it shows intent: repeated clicks from the same network, clicks that stop when your daily budget caps, or clicks originating from IP ranges tied to the competitor's office, known VPNs, or data centers they use.

Google's own documentation lists "clicks intended to exhaust an advertiser's budget" as a category of invalid activity. That language covers competitor fraud directly. The challenge is proving the intent and source, because Google's automated filters rely on server-side signals like rapid clicking or known bad IP ranges. Sophisticated competitors often use residential proxies, staggered timing, or human click farms that mimic real behavior well enough to slip past automated detection.

How Google's Invalid Activity Credit System Works

Google runs two parallel tracks for invalid activity credits:

• Automatic credits: Issued when Google's systems detect clear patterns — rapid clicks from one IP, known data-center ranges, duplicate click signatures. These appear in your account as "Invalid activity" adjustments, usually within a few days.
• Manual claims: Required when traffic looks legitimate at the server level but behavioral evidence shows otherwise. This is where most competitor fraud lands. You file a billing dispute, attach evidence, and a Google specialist reviews it.

Industry data shows an 11–14% average invalid click rate across Google Ads campaigns, with high-CPC verticals like legal, insurance, and B2B SaaS seeing higher rates. Google's automated filters catch less than half of that, leaving the rest classified as sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) that only manual review can address.

Evidence That Wins Competitor Fraud Refunds

A successful manual claim needs a dossier that connects clicks to a specific competitor. The strongest evidence combines three layers:

• Geo-location patterns: Clicks clustering around the competitor's known office locations, even when your campaign targets broader regions.
• Time-of-day clustering: Clicks that align with the competitor's business hours or shift changes, especially if they stop on weekends or holidays.
• IP ownership records: WHOIS lookups showing the clicking IPs belong to the competitor's corporate ASN, their known VPN provider, or a data center they use for other services.

Supporting signals strengthen the case: identical user-agent strings across sessions, missing mouse tremor or scroll behavior (signs of automation), GCLID sequences that show no landing-page engagement, and conversion-pixel poisoning where bots trigger fake form submissions.

Step-by-Step: Building a Competitor Fraud Dossier

1. Pull click-level data. Export GCLIDs, timestamps, IP addresses, device info, and geo data from Google Ads (or your analytics) for the suspicious period.
2. Identify anomaly clusters. Filter for IPs with high click counts, zero conversions, high bounce rates, or sessions under 5 seconds. Flag any that repeat across days.
3. Run IP intelligence. Use WHOIS, ASN lookup, and VPN/proxy detection tools on each flagged IP. Note corporate ownership, hosting provider, and whether the IP appears on residential proxy lists.
4. Map to competitor assets. Cross-reference the IP ownership against the competitor's known office addresses, corporate ASN, VPN endpoints, and third-party tools they use (CRM, marketing platforms, etc.).
5. Add behavioral proof. If you have client-side tracking (JavaScript behavioral capture), attach mouse-movement heatmaps, scroll-depth logs, and interaction timestamps showing non-human patterns — linear pointer paths, superhuman click speed (<1ms), absence of tremor.
6. Write the affidavit. Summarize findings in a one-page declaration: campaign names, date ranges, total suspicious spend, IP clusters, ownership links to competitor, behavioral anomalies. Keep it factual; avoid speculation.
7. Submit via Google Ads billing dispute. Attach the affidavit, IP lookup exports, and behavioral logs. Reference Google's invalid activity policy clause on budget-exhaustion clicks.

Common Mistakes That Kill Refund Claims

Limitations: When Refunds Are Denied

Not every suspicious click qualifies. Google will deny claims when:

• The clicking IPs resolve to residential ISPs with no provable link to the competitor.
• Click patterns match normal user variance (e.g., a researcher clicking multiple ads).
• The advertiser's own tracking shows legitimate engagement (scroll, dwell time, form starts).
• The dispute is filed outside the 60-day window.
• Evidence relies on correlation without ownership or behavioral proof.

Also, Google does not refund for "poor targeting" or "low-quality traffic" — only for clicks that violate their invalid activity policies. Competitor fraud must be shown as intentional budget exhaustion, not just aggressive bidding overlap.

Key Facts

FAQ

How long does a manual refund claim take?

Typically 2–4 weeks for Google's specialist team to review a complete dossier. Incomplete submissions add delays because they request more evidence.

Can I get refunds for clicks from months ago?

Google's standard dispute window is 60 days from the click date. Some advertisers have recovered spend back to 2017 through persistent escalation, but that requires exceptional evidence and is not guaranteed.

What if the competitor uses residential proxies?

Residential proxies hide behind consumer IPs, making IP ownership links harder. In those cases, behavioral evidence (mouse paths, click speed, session uniformity) becomes the primary proof. Time-of-day clustering against the competitor's timezone still helps.

Does Google tell me who clicked my ads?

No. Google provides GCLIDs, IPs, and timestamps. You must do the IP intelligence and competitor mapping yourself or use a tool that automates it.

What's the difference between click fraud and invalid traffic?

Invalid traffic is Google's umbrella term for any non-genuine click: bots, accidental taps, competitor fraud, impression fraud. Competitor click fraud is a subset — intentional budget exhaustion by a rival.

Should I block suspicious IPs in Google Ads?

Yes, use IP exclusions to stop future waste while you build the refund case. But blocking alone doesn't recover past spend — you still need the dispute.

How much budget should I expect to recover?

Depends on your spend and fraud level. At 14% average invalid rate, a $50K/month advertiser loses ~$7K/month. High-CPC verticals often see 20–30% invalid rates. Recovery matches the proven fraudulent portion, not the total invalid rate.

Yes, Google Ads offers refunds for invalid clicks — what the platform calls "invalid traffic" — but the process is not automatic for the most damaging fraud. Google's own filters catch less than 50% of invalid traffic, leaving the remainder classified as sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) that requires you to submit manual evidence. If you can prove the clicks were fraudulent, Google will credit your account.

How Google Detects and Refunds Invalid Clicks

Google runs two layers of protection. The first is automated: real-time filters that block obvious bot traffic, accidental double-clicks, and known malicious IP ranges before you're billed. These filters are good at catching general invalid traffic (GIVT) — simple scripts, crawlers, and basic click farms.

The second layer is manual. When advertisers spot patterns the filters missed — competitors clicking ads, residential proxy networks, or bots that mimic human behavior — they must file a refund request through Google's invalid click investigation form. Google's traffic quality team then reviews the evidence and decides whether to issue a credit.

According to aggregated audit data, the average invalid click rate across all Google Ads campaigns runs 11% to 14%. In high-CPC verticals like legal, insurance, and B2B SaaS, that rate climbs significantly higher.

What Counts as an Invalid Click

Google defines invalid traffic broadly. It includes:

• Automated clicking tools, bots, and scripts
• Manual clicks from competitors or click farms
• Accidental double-clicks or misplaced ad placements
• Impressions generated by malware or browser toolbars
• Traffic from incentivized or forced clicks

The platform separates this into general invalid traffic (GIVT) — which the automated filters catch — and sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT), which requires behavioral analysis to detect. SIVT includes residential proxy botnets, headless browsers that simulate mouse movements, and click farms using real devices.

The Refund Request Process Step by Step

1. Identify suspicious patterns. Look for sudden click spikes without conversion changes, high bounce rates from specific geographies or devices, or clicks that occur at non-human speeds.
2. Gather behavioral evidence. Google requires more than IP logs. You need client-side data: mouse movement patterns, scroll depth, session duration, form interaction timing, and click IDs (GCLIDs) tied to each suspicious session.
3. Submit the invalid click investigation form. Access it through the Google Ads help center. Provide the campaign IDs, date ranges, and a concise explanation of why you believe the traffic is invalid.
4. Attach your evidence. Include CSV exports of GCLIDs, timestamps, and the behavioral anomalies you documented. The more structured the data, the faster the review.
5. Wait for Google's determination. Reviews typically take 5–10 business days. If approved, credits appear in your billing summary as "Invalid activity adjustments."

Why Most Advertisers Don't Recover the Full Amount

Google's automated filters catch less than 50% of invalid traffic. The rest — SIVT — looks human on the surface. Bots now simulate mouse tremor, scroll behavior, and realistic session durations. Without client-side behavioral tracking, you have no proof these sessions weren't real people.

Industry research estimates that invalid traffic consumes 10% to 30% of programmatic ad spend. For a business spending $50,000 monthly on Google Ads, that's $5,000 to $15,000 lost every month — $60,000 to $180,000 annually.

The gap exists because server-side logs (what Google sees) cannot distinguish a sophisticated bot from a human. Only browser-level observation — capturing pointer behavior, motion signals, and interaction timing — produces evidence Google's review team accepts.

Evidence That Gets Refunds Approved

Successful claims share specific evidence types:

• GCLID-level behavioral logs showing absent mouse tremor, linear pointer paths, or superhuman input speeds (<1ms)
• Honeypot interactions — clicks on hidden page elements no human would see
• Session anomalies: zero scroll, zero dwell time, or identical click paths across dozens of sessions
• VPN and proxy fingerprints tied to residential IP ranges known for botnet traffic
• Conversion pixel poisoning proof — bots triggering conversion events without preceding engagement

Google's traffic quality team looks for repeatable technical patterns, not anecdotal complaints. A spreadsheet of IPs and timestamps rarely suffices. You need forensic behavioral data captured at the browser level.

Manual vs. Automated Evidence Collection

You can gather evidence two ways: manually or with automated tracking. Manual collection means exporting server logs, sorting GCLIDs in a spreadsheet, and trying to spot anomalies by eye. This works for small campaigns with a few suspicious sessions, but it breaks down at scale. A campaign with 50,000 clicks a month produces too many rows to review by hand, and server logs lack the behavioral signals Google wants.

Automated collection captures client-side behavior in real time. It records pointer paths, scroll depth, session duration, and interaction timing for every click. The tool then flags sessions that match bot patterns and exports a structured report. This approach is faster and more consistent, but it requires adding a script to your site and trusting a third party with your traffic data.

The trade-off is clear: manual work is free but rarely sufficient for SIVT claims. Automated tools cost money but produce the forensic evidence Google's review team expects. For high-volume advertisers, the time saved usually outweighs the subscription cost.

Checklist for Preparing a Refund Claim

Before you submit the invalid click investigation form, work through this checklist:

• Confirm the traffic is invalid. Rule out poor targeting, weak landing pages, or seasonal changes first.
• Collect GCLIDs. Export the click IDs for every suspicious session from Google Ads.
• Capture behavioral data. Record mouse movement, scroll depth, session duration, and interaction timing.
• Document anomalies. Note linear pointer paths, superhuman speeds, honeypot hits, or identical click patterns.
• Organize by campaign and date. Group evidence so Google's team can review it quickly.
• Write a concise explanation. State why you believe the traffic is invalid and what patterns the evidence shows.
• Submit within the lookback window. File within 60 days for standard claims; older claims need escalation.

Missing any of these steps weakens your claim. Google's review team sees thousands of requests, so a complete, structured submission stands out.

How to Gather the Behavioral Evidence Google Requires

Google's refund decisions hinge on behavioral evidence. Server logs show that a click happened, but not whether a human made it. To prove SIVT, you need client-side data that captures how a visitor interacted with your page.

Start by adding a lightweight tracking script to your landing pages. The script should record pointer movements, scroll depth, session duration, and interaction timing for every visitor. It should also capture the GCLID from the URL so each session ties back to a specific ad click.

Next, set up honeypot elements — hidden links or buttons that real users never see. Bots that click these elements reveal themselves immediately. Finally, export the data into a structured report that groups anomalies by campaign, date, and GCLID. This is the format Google's traffic quality team expects.

Automated tools handle this process end to end. They install in about a minute, capture the behavioral evidence, and generate audit-ready reports. For advertisers who prefer manual work, the same principles apply, but the effort is significant and the risk of missing key signals is higher.

Key Facts

Limitations and When Refunds Don't Apply

Google will not refund clicks from:

• Poor targeting choices — bidding on broad match keywords that attract irrelevant but human traffic
• Low-quality landing pages that fail to convert real visitors
• Competitor bidding wars that drive up CPCs legitimately
• Seasonal traffic fluctuations or news-driven search spikes

Refunds also don't apply retroactively beyond Google's lookback window (typically 60 days for standard claims, though some evidence can support longer disputes). And credits apply to future ad spend — Google does not issue cash refunds to your bank account.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Google invalid click refund take?

Most reviews complete in 5–10 business days after submission. Complex cases with large evidence packages can take longer.

Can I get a cash refund instead of account credit?

No. Google issues credits applied to future ad spend. They do not wire money back to your payment method.

What's the difference between GIVT and SIVT?

General invalid traffic (GIVT) includes known bots, crawlers, and simple scripts that Google's automated filters catch in real time. Sophisticated invalid traffic (SIVT) mimics human behavior — residential proxies, headless browsers with simulated mouse movements, click farms on real devices — and requires manual evidence to prove.

Do I need a third-party tool to get a refund?

Not strictly. You can manually compile server logs and submit the form. But without client-side behavioral data (mouse movements, scroll depth, interaction timing), Google rarely approves SIVT claims. Most successful high-volume claims use forensic tracking tools.

How far back can I claim invalid clicks?

Google's standard lookback is 60 days. Some advertisers have recovered spend dating back to 2017 with comprehensive behavioral evidence, but this requires escalation and exceptional documentation.

Will filing a refund request hurt my account standing?

No. Filing legitimate invalid click claims is a normal advertiser right. Google encourages reporting fraud. Repeated frivolous claims without evidence could flag your account, but evidence-backed requests are standard practice.

What if Google denies my claim?

You can appeal with additional evidence. Many initial denials stem from insufficient behavioral data. Adding client-side forensic logs — pointer behavior, honeypot hits, session anomalies — often reverses the decision on appeal.

Google runs automated systems that filter out obvious invalid traffic and issue credits without you lifting a finger. Those automatic refunds cover routine crawlers, accidental double-clicks, and known bot signatures. The problem is that modern fraud — residential proxy networks, AI-driven behavioral emulation, competitor click farms — routinely slips past those filters. When that happens, the only way to recover money is to open a formal dispute with Google's Click Quality team and supply client-side evidence that proves each click was non-human.

Manual refunds are not guaranteed. Google's support agents demand precise logs: click IDs (GCLIDs), IP addresses, timestamps, and behavioral telemetry such as mouse movement, scroll depth, and session duration. Most advertisers discover the fraud weeks later in Google Analytics, by which time the raw server logs are gone. That evidence gap is why many valid claims stall or get denied.

How Google's Invalid Click Detection Works

Google separates invalid traffic into two buckets. General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) includes predictable, non-human activity like search engine crawlers, indexers, and known system spiders. These are relatively easy to identify and filter automatically. Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) covers automated botnets, emulator devices, click farms, scraping scripts, and competitor click fraud designed to mimic real human behavior. SIVT is specifically engineered to bypass standard filters.

Google's real-time filters catch a portion of both categories before you are billed. According to aggregated audit data, those automatic systems catch less than 50% of invalid clicks across all campaigns. The rest reach your account, consume budget, and require a manual appeal to recover.

What Qualifies as Fraudulent or Invalid Clicks

Google officially categorizes invalid clicks it will credit if you provide sufficient proof. The main categories are:

• Competitor Click Activity: Manual or automated clicks generated by rival firms attempting to exhaust your daily ad budgets and lower your search visibility.
• Publisher Click Fraud: Clicks generated by malicious search partner websites seeking to artificially boost their own AdSense revenue.
• Bot Traffic & Web Scrapers: Automated browser scripts, headless Chrome instances, and data scrapers that repeatedly visit paid search listings as they index the web.

Accidental clicks — such as double-clicking an ad or fat-finger mobile display interactions — are generally considered normal user behavior and are not refunded.

The Manual Refund Request Process

1. Identify suspicious patterns in Google Ads or Analytics: spikes in clicks with zero conversions, abnormal geographic sources, or near-zero session durations.
2. Collect client-side evidence for each suspicious click: GCLID, timestamp, IP address, user agent, and behavioral signals (mouse movement, scroll depth, form interactions).
3. Complete Google's Click Quality Investigation Form (sometimes called the Invalid Clicks Contact Form). Attach your evidence logs and a concise explanation of why the traffic is invalid.
4. Wait for review. Google's team typically responds within a few business days. They may approve a full credit, a partial credit, or deny the claim if evidence is insufficient.
5. Escalate if denied. You can reply with additional data or request a second review, but success rates drop sharply after the first rejection.

Evidence You Need to Prove Fraudulent Clicks

Google's support agents require forensic detail. A spreadsheet of timestamps alone will not suffice. The strongest claims include:

• GCLID/FBCLID logs tied to each suspicious session.
• Behavioral telemetry showing absence of humanlike mouse tremor, superhuman input speed (<1ms), grid-aligned movement patterns, or robotic linear mouse paths.
• Honeypot trap interactions — clicks on hidden or intentionally deceptive page elements that only bots trigger.
• Session anomalies: unnatural durations (too short, too long, or too uniform), absence of scrolling, and no field corrections on forms.
• Cross-referenced tech details: data center IPs (e.g., Ashburn, Dublin, Boardman) appearing in campaigns targeting local service areas.

Standard GA4 reports are often too high-level to isolate sophisticated bots. You must use the Explore tab with dimensions like Session source/medium, Device category, Operating system, Country, City, and First user campaign. Even then, GA4 cannot block bots in real time and does not secure refunds automatically.

Limitations of Google's Automatic Filters

Google's own automated filters catch less than 50% of invalid clicks across all campaigns. The average invalid click rate across Google Ads campaigns sits between 11% and 14%, according to aggregated audit data and third-party studies. In high-CPC verticals, that waste can reach 20% of monthly ad spend. Global digital ad fraud is projected to exceed $100 billion in 2026, growing at nearly 20% compound annual rate since 2020. Google Ads is the most targeted platform due to its dominant market share (over 28% of global digital ad revenue) and high average CPCs in key verticals.

Modern fraud networks leverage AI model generators to simulate human mouse curvature, click intervals, and page scrolling. They route clicks through residential proxy botnets — hijacked smart devices in target local areas — presenting legitimate residential IP addresses that defeat geographic exclusions. Audience network expansion across millions of long-tail mobile apps and websites gives publishers new inventory to exploit with background scripts that generate fake impressions and clicks.

Why Manual Claims Often Fail

• Evidence arrives too late. By the time you spot the fraud in weekly reports, the raw server logs and click IDs have often rotated out of retention windows.
• Behavioral proof is missing. Google expects client-side telemetry (mouse movement, scroll depth, honeypot triggers) that standard analytics does not capture.
• GCLID mapping is incomplete. Without the click ID for each suspicious session, Google cannot link your evidence to a billed click.
• Form submissions are vague. The Click Quality Investigation Form asks for specific technical details; generic descriptions like "lots of bot traffic" are rejected.
• No ongoing monitoring. A one-time audit catches past fraud but does not prevent next month's waste.

How BotRefund Helps Escalate Claims

BotRefund installs on your site in about one minute with no credit card required. It runs a live bot audit during a scheduled call, capturing video proof for every bot click. The system logs GCLIDs and behavioral evidence automatically — mouse tremor absence, superhuman speed, grid-aligned paths, honeypot triggers, and session anomalies — then generates audit-ready refund dispute reports formatted for Google and Meta billing teams. Clients can recover bot-click refunds from Google Ads spend dating back to 2017. The platform reports an 83% refund approval rate across client claims submitted to ad platforms.

Limitation: BotRefund does not guarantee every claim will be approved. Google and Meta make the final decision. The tool provides the evidence package; the platforms decide the credit. Pricing scales with monthly ad spend, ranging from under $10,000/mo to over $1M/mo tiers.

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

How far back can I claim a refund for fraudulent clicks?

BotRefund's audit data shows successful recoveries from Google Ads spend dating back to 2017. Google's own policy does not publish a hard cutoff, but older claims require more complete evidence.

Does Google automatically refund all invalid clicks?

No. Google's automated filters catch less than 50% of invalid clicks. The rest require a manual dispute with forensic evidence.

What is the difference between GIVT and SIVT?

General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) includes predictable non-human activity like crawlers and known spiders. Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) covers botnets, emulators, click farms, and competitor fraud designed to mimic humans.

Can I use Google Analytics 4 to get a refund?

GA4 can help you spot suspicious patterns, but it cannot block bots in real time and does not secure refunds automatically. You still need client-side behavioral logs and GCLIDs to file a claim.

What happens if Google denies my refund request?

You can reply with additional evidence or request a second review, but success rates drop sharply after the first rejection. Stronger initial evidence — video proof, honeypot triggers, GCLID mapping — improves first-pass approval odds.

How much does it cost to use a refund recovery service?

BotRefund pricing scales with monthly ad spend: under $10,000/mo, $10,000–$50,000/mo, $50,000–$250,000/mo, $250,000–$1M/mo, $1M–$5M/mo, and over $5M/mo tiers. A free bot audit is available with no credit card required.

Will using a detection tool hurt my site speed or SEO?

BotRefund adds a lightweight script that loads asynchronously. It does not block legitimate users or affect Core Web Vitals. The audit runs in the background and only flags sessions that match bot behavioral signatures.

Yes, Microsoft Advertising offers a click‑fraud refund program. If you can demonstrate that clicks on your ads were generated by bots, competitors, or other invalid sources that Microsoft's automated filters missed, you can request a credit. The process requires submitting a formal claim with supporting evidence — click IDs, timestamps, IP data, and behavioral patterns — within Microsoft's review window, which is generally 60 days from the date of the suspicious activity.

How Microsoft Advertising's Click Fraud Refund Program Works

Microsoft's Click Quality team reviews manual refund requests for invalid traffic that slipped past their real‑time filters. Unlike Google's automated "invalid click" credits that appear in your account automatically, Microsoft's process is largely manual: you open a support case, provide evidence, and a reviewer decides whether to issue a billing credit. The team looks for patterns that indicate non‑human behavior — rapid‑fire clicks from the same IP, clicks without corresponding site engagement, or traffic from known proxy networks.

Microsoft does not publish a single public policy document that lists every qualifying scenario. Instead, they evaluate each case on its merits, using the same categories Google defines: competitor clicks, publisher fraud, bot traffic, and accidental clicks. The key difference is that Microsoft expects you to bring the evidence; they rarely proactively refund without a request.

What Counts as Invalid Clicks on Microsoft Ads

• Competitor click activity: Manual or automated clicks from rival businesses trying to drain your daily budget.
• Publisher click fraud: Clicks generated by Microsoft's search partner sites to inflate their own revenue share.
• Bot traffic and scrapers: Automated scripts, headless browsers, and data harvesters that click ads while indexing content.
• Accidental clicks: Double‑clicks or fat‑finger mobile taps — though Microsoft often filters these automatically.

Microsoft's documentation notes that "low conversion rates" alone do not qualify as invalid traffic. You must show a technical anomaly — not just poor campaign performance.

Evidence You Need to Submit a Claim

The strongest claims combine platform‑side data with independent, client‑side behavioral proof. Microsoft's reviewers typically expect:

• Click IDs (MSCLKID): The unique identifier Microsoft attaches to each paid click. Export these from your Microsoft Ads reports for the suspicious period.
• Timestamps and IP addresses: Exact time and origin of each questionable click.
• On‑site behavior logs: Evidence that the visitor did not scroll, move the mouse naturally, or spend time consistent with a human session. Tools that capture mouse tremor, scroll depth, and interaction timing are valuable here.
• Conversion pixel data: Show that the click did not fire your conversion tags or that the resulting "conversion" lacks downstream CRM activity.

BotRefund's detection layer captures 106 independent behavioral signals — including scrollbar width leaks, clean‑context iframe checks, and robotic mouse movement patterns — and packages them into a report that Microsoft's Click Quality team can evaluate without guesswork. The same evidence standards apply whether you're filing with Google or Microsoft.

Step‑by‑Step Claim Process

1. Identify the suspicious window. Pull Microsoft Ads click reports for the last 60 days. Look for spikes in CTR, drops in conversion rate, or clusters of clicks from single IPs or ASNs.
2. Export MSCLKID lists. Download the click IDs for the suspicious campaigns, ad groups, and dates.
3. Gather client‑side proof. If you have a behavioral detection script installed (such as BotRefund), export the session recordings, heatmaps, and anomaly scores for those click IDs.
4. Open a support case. In Microsoft Ads, go to Help > Contact Support > Billing & Payments > Invalid Clicks. Attach your evidence as CSV or PDF.
5. Escalate if the first response is generic. Initial replies often cite "automated filters already applied." Reply with your independent evidence and ask for a manual review by a senior Click Quality analyst.
6. Track the outcome. Credits appear as "Invalid Click Adjustments" in your billing summary. If denied, you can request a second review with additional evidence.

Common Reasons Claims Get Denied

• Evidence submitted outside the 60‑day window. Microsoft rarely makes exceptions.
• Relying only on platform‑side data. Without independent behavioral proof, reviewers may decide the traffic "could be human."
• Conflating low quality with invalid. High bounce rates or poor leads are not click fraud unless you show automation signatures.
• Incomplete click ID lists. Sampling a few clicks instead of providing the full suspicious set weakens the case.

How This Differs from Google and Meta Refund Processes

Takeaway: Microsoft's process is the most manual of the three. You must bring a complete evidence package up front; there is no "automatic credit" safety net.

Key Facts

Limitations and When This Advice Does Not Apply

• Microsoft's policies can change; always check the current Microsoft Q&A thread or contact support for the latest window and evidence requirements.
• This article covers Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads) search and partner network. It does not cover Microsoft Audience Network native placements, which may have separate quality controls.
• If your account is managed by an agency, the agency must file the claim — Microsoft typically requires the billing account owner or authorized manager to submit.
• Refunds are issued as account credits, not cash payouts. They apply to future ad spend.

FAQ

How long does Microsoft take to decide a click‑fraud claim?

Typically 5‑15 business days after you submit a complete evidence package. Complex cases or escalations can take longer.

Can I get a refund for clicks older than 60 days?

Microsoft's standard window is 60 days. Exceptions are rare and require escalation with a compelling reason (e.g., you only discovered the fraud after a delayed forensic audit).

Do I need a third‑party detection tool to win a claim?

Not strictly — you can compile logs from your own analytics, server access logs, and Microsoft's click reports. But independent behavioral evidence (mouse movement, scroll depth, timing anomalies) significantly increases approval odds because it proves non‑human interaction rather than just low engagement.

What if Microsoft denies my claim?

Reply to the denial with additional evidence — new click IDs, deeper behavioral logs, or a forensic report from a tool like BotRefund — and request a senior reviewer. Second reviews are common and often succeed when the first was handled by a junior analyst.

Does Microsoft refund for invalid impressions, or only clicks?

The program covers invalid clicks. Impression‑based fraud (e.g., bot‑loaded ad views without clicks) is not typically credited under the click‑quality policy.

Can BotRefund handle the Microsoft claim process for me?

BotRefund's experts manage the end‑to‑end refund process for Google and Meta. For Microsoft, they provide the forensic evidence package and guidance; you or your agency submit the case. The same behavioral proof that wins Google and Meta refunds is accepted by Microsoft's Click Quality team.

What's the cost to use BotRefund for Microsoft click‑fraud evidence?

BotRefund's detection script is free to install and audit. If you engage their managed recovery service for Google or Meta, you pay a percentage of recovered spend only after a successful refund. Microsoft claims are currently self‑service with BotRefund's evidence support.