Expert reveals how companies waste thousands on fake Google Ad clicks
Rising Costs and Declining Click Quality
A digital advertising expert has revealed businesses are losing thousands of dollars monthly to fake or invalid clicks on their Google Ads campaigns.
Jacques Zarka from PPC Shield, a company specialized in detection and prevention of PPC click fraud, said Google Ad costs have risen 19% in the past year while the quality of clicks has sharply declined.
The Hidden Cost of Fake Clicks
PPC Shield’s click fraud statistics for May 2025 show that for a typical mid-market company spending $10,000 per month on Google Ads, around $2,000 is completely wasted on clicks that will never convert to actual customers.
“What’s disturbing isn’t just that Google’s cost per click keeps rising—it’s that the clicks advertisers pay for are increasingly questionable,” Zarka said. “Bots, repeat users, and fraudulent traffic eat up budgets while real prospects get lost in the noise.”
Industry Research Confirms the Problem
The expert pointed to research from multiple sources confirming the extent of the problem. Cheq.ai found that up to 14% of B2B ad clicks were “non-converting” due to fake users or click farms.
“Most business owners look at their Google Ads dashboard and assume all those clicks represent real potential customers,” Zarka explained. “The truth is far more concerning.”
Repeat Clicks Inflate Ad Spend
ClickCease data shows that one in six clicks come from users who had already clicked on the same ad within the past 48 hours, essentially charging advertisers multiple times for the same lead.
For companies with larger budgets, the numbers become even more alarming. Enterprises spending $50,000 monthly on Google Ads can lose between $8,000 and $12,000 to invalid traffic, according to PPC Shield’s analysis.
“The fraud isn’t always obvious,” Zarka added. “YouTube ads present their own problems, with Adalytics reporting that 80% of such ads are served muted, minimized, or auto-played—yet still charged as full views.”
Global Impact Exceeds $100 Billion
Juniper Research estimates global ad fraud losses will exceed $100 billion in 2024 alone, a figure that continues to grow year over year.
The cost per click for Google Ads varies dramatically by industry. Data from Statista shows sectors like insurance and legal services facing the highest costs, with some keywords exceeding $14 per click.
“Legal firms can pay over $14 for a single click, so when one in six of those clicks is fraudulent, the wasted spend adds up quickly,” said Zarka.
High-Value Industries Hit Hardest
PPC Shield collected and analyzed hundreds of thousands of ad clicks across different industries to identify patterns of fraud. The company found that bot networks and click farms often target higher-value industries where the cost per click makes fraud more profitable.
“Many companies don’t realize how much of their ad budget goes to waste,” Zarka stated. “The first step is awareness, followed by implementing proper tracking and protection.”
For mid-sized businesses, the problem often goes undetected for months or years. PPC Shield recommends regular audits of ad traffic quality to identify suspicious patterns.
Zarka concluded that rising costs demand better protection. “As Google’s prices continue climbing, advertisers need to scrutinize what they’re actually getting for their money. Without proper verification, you might as well throw 20% of your marketing budget in the trash.”
