Fraudulent traffic increased in online advertising in Russia

Experts warn of a significant increase in fraudulent activities, but modern anti-fraud systems are becoming more effective

In 2024, fraudulent traffic in online advertising reached alarming proportions, accounting for 13-15% of the total number of clicks. Advertisers lost more than 10 billion rubles due to the actions of bots that mimic the behavior of real users. This was stated by journalists to industry experts.

According to forecasts by "Yandex", in 2025 the share of such fraud (fraud) may grow to 18%. The development of domestic anti-fraud technologies may slow down this growth.

Representatives of the domestic IT giant said that last year the company faced a sharp increase in the share of SIVT fraud (traffic that is difficult to detect and mimics user actions). Its share doubled compared to 2023, and advertisers suffered significant financial losses as a result.

To combat fraud, "Yandex" actively uses neural technologies that allow detecting suspicious activity in real time. Thanks to them, it is possible to significantly increase the accuracy of fraud detection and practically eliminate cases of disabling advertising campaigns due to an influx of bots.

In 2024, "Yandex" blocked many resources that generated fraud traffic, including 6.8 thousand Telegram channels, 1.6 thousand websites, and about a thousand applications. The measures are aimed at protecting advertisers and minimizing their losses.

According to the data of the Association of Advertising Internet Technologies (ARIT), 94% of specialists in the field of digital advertising have encountered fraud. According to experts, this shows the importance of combating fraud. Specialists work with market traffic verifiers and integrate with key players in the market to improve the quality and safety of advertising campaigns.

What methods do fraudsters use

Experts emphasize that fraudulent schemes are becoming more complex and diverse. The most common methods include "click-throughs" (an attack on advertisers who pay for advertising at a cost per click), the generation of fake leads (mass filling of feedback forms), and fake traffic (boosting advertising indicators by bots or interested users). In 2023, the share of SIVT fraud was about 6.5%, and in 2024 it doubled, which indicates the need for more effective countermeasures.

According to experts, if the current trend continues, the level of SIVT fraud may reach 15-18% in 2025. However, most likely, the growth will slow down due to the active development of anti-fraud systems, which help protect advertisers from losses and increase the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns. It is important that companies continue to invest in technology and cooperate with professionals in the field of cybersecurity to minimize risks and protect their interests.

Read more on the topic:

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How fraudsters hack into the "Gosuslugi" of Russians

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