Seatext library / BotRefund evidence
How SeaText AI Handles Refund Fraud for Companies: Detection, Evidence, and Recovery
SeaText AI's BotRefund module detects bot clicks on Google and Meta ads using 106 behavioral signals, builds client-side evidence logs, and submits refund claims that achieve an 83% approval rate. The system installs in...
✓ Built for advertisers who need clear, refund-ready traffic evidence.
SeaText AI handles refund fraud through its BotRefund component, which identifies automated clicks that Google and Meta filters miss, captures video-grade proof for each suspicious visit, and files formal disputes with the platforms' click-quality teams. The result is an 83% refund approval rate across client claims, with recovery possible for ad spend going back to 2017.
How SeaText AI detects bot clicks that platforms miss
Google and Meta run real-time filters, but modern fraud networks use residential proxy botnets and AI-driven behavioral emulation that mimic human mouse curvature, click intervals, and scrolling. These tactics bypass default platform defenses. BotRefund adds a client-side layer that records 106 independent browser, network, device, and behavioral signals for every ad click, creating a forensic record the platforms cannot see from their server side.
Platform filters are limited because they only see server-side data—IP addresses, user agents, and request headers. Fraudsters rotate residential IPs from hijacked IoT devices and use headless browsers that emulate human behavior. Server-side detection cannot see what happens inside the browser after the click. BotRefund lives on the website itself, so it observes the full session: mouse movements, scrolling, timing, page interaction, and even hidden trap elements that only bots notice.
For example, a bot might load an ad page, wait a random 1.5 seconds, move the mouse in a perfect straight line to the conversion button, and click in under 10 milliseconds. A human would pause, hesitate, adjust the mouse path, and click with natural tremor. BotRefund captures these differences as measurable signals.
The 106-signal detection framework
Each visit is scored across categories including click behavior (ghost clicks, honeypot interactions), pointer behavior (robotic linear movements), motion behavior (absence of human tremor), speed behavior (sub-millisecond inputs), path behavior (grid-aligned movement), engagement behavior (no scrolling or clicks), and session behavior (unnatural durations). No single signal triggers a verdict; the AI model weighs the complete pattern across all signals to reach 99% accuracy.
Here is what each category actually looks like in practice:
Click behavior — Ghost clicks occur when a script triggers clicks without a preceding human decision. Honeypot traps are invisible page elements that a human would never interact with; if a visitor clicks one, it is almost certainly automated.
Pointer behavior — Real mouse paths curve and wander. Bots often generate straight lines between points, which are statistically rare in human movement.
Motion behavior — Human hands have tiny involuntary tremors. Bots produce perfectly smooth motion. BotRefund measures micro-jitter to flag suspicious smoothness.
Speed behavior — Humans cannot click, scroll, and fill forms in under one millisecond. Superhuman speeds are a clear indicator of scripting.
Path behavior — Bots often generate grid-aligned movement patterns, snapping to coordinates. Humans create organic paths that never align to a pixel grid.
Engagement behavior — A real visitor scrolls, clicks, or moves to read content. Bots may load a page and do nothing else, or jump to a form without reading.
Session behavior — Session lengths that are identical across many visits, or that are impossibly short (under 2 seconds) or long (over 24 hours), point to automation.
Each signal alone can be ambiguous. A privacy browser might block tracking, a senior user might move a mouse slowly, or a touch device might produce unusual motion. BotRefund's AI corroboration model cross-checks all signals. If three independent signals point to automation, it raises the bot score. If only one does, it keeps the visit as human. This approach drives the claimed 99% accuracy.
Building evidence for refund claims
When a visit is flagged, BotRefund captures GCLID and FBCLID identifiers, behavioral logs, and video-style session replays. This client-side proof is packaged into audit-ready reports that match the evidence categories Google and Meta require: competitor click activity, publisher click fraud, and bot traffic or scraper visits. The reports preserve attribution data before any campaign changes are made.
Google and Meta both require specific evidence to approve refunds. Google's Click Quality team wants GCLID logs, timestamps, and behavioral data that proves invalid activity. Meta asks for similar evidence for their Traffic Quality team. BotRefund automatically formats the evidence to match each platform's requirements, including the exact field names and recommended screenshot annotations.
The video replays are especially powerful. A typical bot pattern—rapid page loads, no scrolling, instant form fill—is visually distinct. When a human reviewer sees a playback, the fraud becomes undeniable. BotRefund also logs the raw JSON event stream, so technical teams can inspect the data, not just watch a video.
By preserving attribution data (like GCLID and FBCLID), the tool ensures that refund claims do not disrupt campaign analytics. Many advertisers only discover fraud after they have already paused campaigns or changed tracking, which destroys the evidence. BotRefund captures everything in real time, so claims remain accurate even if you later optimize.
Why refund fraud matters for advertisers
Refund fraud is not just a nuisance—it has compounding costs that hurt performance in four ways.
Financial impact: Bot clicks drain budgets without producing revenue. Some studies suggest bots can consume up to 20% of ad spend. For a company spending $100,000 per month, that is $20,000 lost—every month. Refunds recover some of this, but the real loss is the opportunity cost of budget spent on fake traffic instead of real customers.
Data pollution: Every bot click feeds your analytics and CRM. Fake conversions, form submissions, and page views contaminate your data. You start optimizing toward bots. Your cost-per-acquisition rises, your conversion rate drops, and you make poor decisions based on garbage metrics.
Algorithmic degradation: Ad platforms use conversion data to train their algorithms. When bots trigger your conversion pixel, the platform learns to serve more of the same bot traffic. The machine learning models behind Google and Meta ads treat bogus conversions as signals of a winning ad. This creates a feedback loop: the more bots that click, the more the algorithm shows your ads to similar bots.
Downstream targeting effects: Polluted data also affects your lookalike audiences. Platforms build audiences based on user behavior. If bots mimic real users, your lookalikes become filled with non-paying or even malicious users. Your retargeting lists include fake sessions, and your targeting gets worse over time.
Addressing refund fraud early prevents these compounding effects. Refunds recover money, but more importantly, they stop the data pollution that erodes campaign performance every day it continues.
Submitting refund requests to Google and Meta
The system guides users through the formal investigation forms for each platform. For Google, this means completing the Click Quality team's dispute form with GCLID logs and behavioral evidence. For Meta, it involves documenting invalid traffic patterns across Facebook, Instagram, and partner inventory. BotRefund's reports map directly to the evidence fields each platform expects, reducing back-and-forth and speeding approval.
Here is the exact flow for a typical claim:
1. You install BotRefund and run a free bot audit. The audit identifies bot traffic from the past 24 hours and shows you the evidence.
2. You export the dispute report. The report contains GCLID/FBCLID IDs, timestamps, IP addresses, user agents, and video links for each flagged click.
3. You submit the report through Google's Click Quality form or Meta's Traffic Quality form. BotRefund provides direct links to the correct forms and pre-fills as much as possible.
4. The platform reviews your claim. Typically, Google responds within 3-5 business days. Meta may take longer.
5. If approved, you receive billing credits on your next invoice.
Google and Meta both have specific invalid-traffic categories. Google recognizes competitor click activity, publisher click fraud, and bot traffic or scraper visits. Meta has similar categories. BotRefund labels each piece of evidence with the most appropriate category, so you do not need to guess which one the platform will accept.
Submitting a manual claim without proper evidence is usually a dead end. Platforms reject vague reports that lack GCLID logs or behavioral proof. BotRefund's client-side evidence gives you the strong proof required for a high approval rate—the company reports 83% across all client claims.
Trade-offs: BotRefund vs. manual disputes, platform filters, and third-party fraud tools
Advertisers have several ways to handle refund fraud. Here is how BotRefund stacks up against the alternatives.
Manual disputes
You can file refund requests yourself using platform forms. This works if you have the technical skill to extract GCLID logs and compile behavioral evidence. However, it is time-consuming, error-prone, and requires deep knowledge of each platform's requirements. A single claim might take hours, and without the right evidence, approval rates are low. BotRefund automates evidence collection and format, slashing the time cost and improving approval odds.
Platform filters
Google and Meta have built-in invalid-click filters that run in real time. They catch obvious patterns like data-center IPs or simple bots. But they miss sophisticated fraud that uses residential proxies and behavioral emulation. Platform filters only see the server side, not the in-browser behavior. They also cannot produce the client-side evidence needed for refunds—they simply block some clicks silently. BotRefund complements these filters by catching what they miss and documenting it for claims.
Third-party fraud tools
Some third-party tools focus on blocking bots before they reach your site. Others offer analytics to identify suspicious traffic. While these can be useful, they often lack the direct recovery workflow. BotRefund is unique in that it combines detection, evidence, and dispute filing in one product. It is built specifically for refunds from Google and Meta, with reports that match their forms.
Conditional recommendation: If you have a small ad budget and rarely see suspicious traffic, manual disputes might suffice. If you run large campaigns with high volume, or if you have already seen unapproved refund requests, BotRefund is the more cost-effective choice. For enterprises with recurring fraud, automation pays for itself quickly. Check with the vendor for details on pricing and feature limits.
The diagnostic sequence: detection → evidence → submission → recovery
Here is the step-by-step system that makes BotRefund work. Treat it as your playbook for fighting refund fraud.
- Detection: Install the script (under one minute). BotRefund starts recording 106 signals for every visit. The AI scores each visit in real time, flagging those that exceed the bot threshold.
- Evidence: For each flagged visit, BotRefund captures a video replay, behavioral logs, GCLID/FBCLID IDs, IP addresses, and timestamps. It also categorizes the evidence according to platform definitions.
- Submission: You export a pre-formatted dispute report, then submit it via Google's Click Quality form or Meta's Traffic Quality form. BotRefund gives direct links and pre-fills fields where possible.
- Recovery: The platform reviews and credits your account. The 83% approval rate means most claims succeed. For denied claims, BotRefund provides supplemental evidence templates to resubmit.
This sequence is repeatable. Run it monthly to keep your budget clean. The tool also logs click IDs automatically, so you never lose the data needed for future claims.
Automating the recovery workflow
After installation (about one minute, no credit card), BotRefund runs a free live bot audit, exports the dispute report, and sends it to the user's Google or Meta representative. The platform then reviews the claim. Historical recovery is supported: refunds can be claimed for Google Ads spend dating back to 2017. The 83% approval rate reflects claims submitted with BotRefund's evidence package.
The workflow is fully automated after setup. BotRefund continuously monitors traffic, flags new bots, and updates a dashboard with pending and approved claims. You can schedule automatic exports or trigger them manually. The tool also alerts you when a campaign sees a sudden spike in suspicious traffic, so you can pause it immediately to cut losses.
For agencies managing multiple accounts, BotRefund centralizes all claims in one place. You can see which accounts have approved refunds, which have pending investigations, and which need supplemental evidence. The pricing model scales with monthly ad spend, with tiers from under $10K to over $5M, so agency profit margins remain healthy.
Protecting future ad spend from fraud
Beyond recovery, the same detection layer blocks conversion pixel poisoning in real time. By logging click IDs automatically and filtering bot traffic before it reaches analytics and CRM systems, the tool prevents polluted audience data from degrading future targeting. This stops the cycle where fraudulent clicks train the platforms' algorithms to serve more low-quality traffic.
Pixel poisoning happens when bots trigger conversion events—like sign-ups or purchases—that are actually fake. This skews your conversion data, making it look like your ads are performing better than they are. The algorithm then optimizes toward fake conversion patterns, showing your ads to more bots. BotRefund intercepts these events by identifying the visitor as a bot before the pixel fires. It can also block the bot's entire session, preventing any form submission or click.
Over time, clean data improves your targeting. Lookalike audiences become more accurate, retargeting lists contain only real users, and your cost per acquisition drops. The financial benefit of refunds is immediate; the benefit of cleaner data compounds over months.
Key facts
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Detection signals | 106 independent browser, network, device, and behavioral checks |
| Claimed accuracy | 99% bot vs. human classification via AI corroboration model |
| Refund approval rate | 83% across client claims submitted to Google and Meta |
| Historical recovery window | Google Ads spend back to 2017 |
| Setup time | Under one minute, no credit card required |
| Security certifications | ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018 |
BotRefund is part of the SEATEXT AI conversion optimization suite. It integrates with WordPress and other platforms (check with vendor for specifics). The company reports that it helps advertisers worldwide recover wasted budgets.
Limitations and when this doesn't apply
BotRefund addresses invalid clicks on paid search and social campaigns. It does not handle chargeback disputes, customer refund abuse, or ecommerce return fraud. The evidence is accepted by Google and Meta click-quality teams; other ad platforms may have different evidence requirements. Accuracy claims (99%) and approval rates (83%) are vendor-reported; independent verification is advisable before committing budget.
There are also practical limits. If your website already uses heavy JavaScript that conflicts with the script, or if you have strict content security policies, you may need technical assistance to install it. The tool requires client-side access, so it cannot work on platforms that block third-party scripts. For sites with very low traffic volume, the detection model may need a few days to calibrate.
BotRefund does not replace other security layers. It is not a firewall, CAPTCHA, or web application firewall. It is specifically for detecting and proving invalid clicks. If you need broader protection against form spam or credential stuffing, you will need additional tools.
Finally, refund approvals are never guaranteed. The 83% rate is an average across clients; your specific rate may be lower if your evidence is incomplete or if the platform changes its policies. Always keep your own logs and monitor disputes regularly.
FAQ
What counts as refund fraud in this context?
Refund fraud here means paying for ad clicks generated by bots, competitors, or malicious publishers — clicks that Google and Meta define as invalid and agree to credit back when sufficient proof is provided.
How does the free bot audit work?
After adding the script, BotRefund runs a live scan of current traffic, identifies bot patterns, and produces a report you can share with your Google or Meta rep to start a dispute.
Can I recover spend from before I installed the tool?
Yes, for Google Ads the recovery window extends to 2017, but only if you have the GCLID logs. BotRefund captures logs going forward; historical claims depend on what data you already retain.
Does this replace Google's or Meta's own invalid-click filters?
No. It supplements them. Platform filters catch known patterns; BotRefund catches sophisticated fraud that mimics human behavior and routes through residential IPs.
What if my claim is denied?
The evidence package can be resubmitted with additional signals. The 83% approval rate reflects initial submissions; some denials are overturned on appeal with supplemental data.
Is there a minimum ad spend to benefit?
The tool tiers pricing by monthly ad spend (under $10K, $10K–$50K, $50K–$250K, $250K–$1M, $1M–$5M, over $5M). Even smaller accounts can recover meaningful amounts if bot traffic is present.
How long does a refund claim take?
Google typically responds within 3-5 business days; Meta can take longer. Complex cases may require multiple rounds of evidence submission.
Does BotRefund work for other ad platforms like Microsoft Ads or TikTok?
Currently, BotRefund focuses on Google and Meta. Other platforms may have different evidence requirements, so check with the vendor for roadmap updates.
What security certifications does BotRefund hold?
It holds ISO 27001, ISO 27017, and ISO 27018 certifications, covering information security, cloud security, and protection of personally identifiable information.
Further reading and comparison sources
These external sources provide additional context for evaluating the topic. Their inclusion is not an endorsement.
Further reading and comparison sources
These external sources provide additional context for evaluating the topic. Their inclusion is not an endorsement.
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