Blocking reasons on ClickPatrol

ClickPatrol takes great care in screening every click. We gather multiple data points on device behaviour location and timing.

We apply strict rules and human review to flag suspicious activity and only block a click only when evidence meets our high confidence threshold.

This process protects your budget and preserves accurate campaign insights.

In this article you will learn the main reasons we block clicks and how each helps protect your campaigns

Active VPN Service

Dashboard Indication: “Active VPN service”

Description: Click detected as active VPN service.

“Detected as active VPN service” indicates that our system has flagged a click originating from a VPN.

VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) allow users to mask their real IP address and appear to be browsing from a different location.

While VPNs are commonly used for privacy or to access restricted content, they can also obscure a user’s true identity, complicating campaign analysis.

In digital advertising, VPN traffic can be a red flag. When someone uses a VPN to engage with your ads, it raises questions about the legitimacy of the click.

Was it from a genuine user or someone trying to manipulate click data? By blocking these interactions, ClickPatrol helps protect your campaigns from fake clicks and ensures your data reflects real user behavior.

Blocking VPN traffic can be critical for campaigns targeting specific geographic regions or those heavily reliant on accurate user data.

However, if your business requires engaging with VPN users, our system settings can be adjusted to meet those needs.

Known Bot Activity

Dashboard Indication: “Known for being a bot”

Description: Click detected as bot activity.

“Detected as bot activity” means our system has identified a click generated by a bot or automated script rather than a human user.

Bots are programs designed to mimic human behavior online, but they often lack genuine interest in the content they interact with.

In advertising, bots are notorious for inflating click numbers and wasting ad budgets.

ClickPatrol blocks bot clicks to protect your campaigns from inflated engagement metrics and wasted ad spending.

We maintain a comprehensive database of known bots and use sophisticated algorithms to identify suspicious patterns.

This helps ensure that the clicks your ads receive come from real users with genuine intent, not automated systems skewing your performance data.

Understanding and preventing bot activity is critical for accurate campaign tracking.

When your metrics reflect genuine user interactions, you can make better-informed decisions and optimize your ad spend.

Invalid Proxy Usage

Dashboard Indication: “Invalid proxy”

Description: Click detected as using an invalid or suspicious proxy.

“Detected as using an invalid proxy” indicates that the click originated from a suspicious or untrustworthy proxy server.

Proxies are commonly used to mask a user’s true IP address, but invalid or suspicious proxies are often linked to fraudulent behavior or automated scripts.

This can skew your campaign data and lead to ineffective ad spending.

ClickPatrol identifies and blocks clicks coming from these proxies to protect your ad campaigns.

By preventing this traffic from impacting your metrics, we ensure the data you rely on for decision-making is accurate and reflective of real human engagement.

While blocking invalid proxy traffic is crucial for data integrity, we understand that some businesses may need specific exceptions.

If you believe legitimate users are being blocked or require special configurations, our support team is available to discuss options for adjusting the settings.

High Click Frequency

Dashboard Indication: “Excessive click frequency”

Description: Too many clicks in a short time frame.

“Excessive click frequency” means our system has detected a high number of clicks from the same source in a very short period.

This behavior is unusual and often indicates automated activity or click fraud, where bots or malicious actors generate repetitive clicks to exhaust your ad budget or distort campaign performance.

ClickPatrol monitors click frequency and blocks sources that exhibit these patterns.

By doing so, we protect your ads from fake or wasteful interactions, helping you maintain accurate engagement metrics and conserve your marketing spend for genuine users.

If you believe that some high-frequency clicks may be legitimate, such as those from a specific testing environment, you can work with our support team to customize your settings and avoid false positives.

Data Center Traffic

Dashboard Indication: “Data center traffic”

Description: Clicks from known data centers or server farms.

“Data center traffic” indicates clicks from servers or data centers instead of regular consumer devices.

Automated scripts or bots often generate Traffic from these sources rather than human users.

Because of this, it is generally considered suspicious and is blocked to protect the accuracy of your campaign data.

Data centers are often used for web scraping, automated testing, or malicious activity like click fraud.

By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol ensures your ads reach real people, not machines, which improves your return on investment and keeps your metrics reliable.

If you run legitimate campaigns that interact with data center traffic, you can discuss specific needs with our support team to ensure proper campaign settings.

Known Web Scrapers

Dashboard Indication: “Web scraper activity”

Description: Click detected as a known web scraper.

“Detected as web scraper activity” means our system has flagged a click originating from a known web scraper.

Web scrapers are automated tools used to collect data from websites. While scrapers serve legitimate purposes in some industries, they can also generate fake clicks on ads, distorting campaign results and wasting your budget.

ClickPatrol maintains a database of known web scraper signatures and blocks these clicks to authenticate your ad interactions.

This prevents skewed data and ensures your campaign performance metrics accurately reflect human engagement.

If you believe that some web scraper traffic benefits your business, you can work with our team to configure exceptions or customize your blocking preferences.

Suspicious Click Patterns

Dashboard Indication: “Suspicious pattern detected”

Description: Unusual click behavior identified.

“Suspicious pattern detected” refers to clicks that exhibit behavior inconsistent with normal human interactions.

Our algorithms analyze timing, location changes, and device switching. If a click pattern raises red flags, the system blocks it to prevent potential fraud or automated activity from impacting your ad campaign.

This protection helps you maintain clean and accurate data, ensuring your marketing efforts reach real users.

Suspicious patterns may include rapid clicks in sequence, clicks from multiple devices using the same IP, or geographic anomalies.

Our support team is ready to assist if you need help interpreting why a pattern was flagged or have specific concerns about your campaign’s settings.

ISP Known for fake-traffic Activity

Dashboard Indication: “ISP flagged for fraud”

Description: Clicks from an ISP with a history of fraud.

“ISP flagged for fraud” means our system has identified a click from an internet service provider (ISP) with a known history of suspicious or fraudulent activity.

Some ISPs are frequently associated with bot traffic, click farms, or other malicious behavior. Blocking clicks from these sources helps protect your campaigns from manipulation and keeps your data clean.

By blocking traffic from fraudulent ISPs, ClickPatrol ensures your ad budget is spent on genuine engagements.

If you notice discrepancies or feel legitimate users are being blocked, you can consult our support team to make necessary adjustments.

This feature is especially important for advertisers focused on maintaining high data quality and avoiding costly click fraud.

Abnormally High Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Dashboard Indication: “Unusual CTR spike”

Description: A sudden and abnormal increase in CTR.

“Unusual CTR spike” indicates that our system has detected a sudden and significant increase in your campaign’s click-through rate (CTR).

While a high CTR can be a positive sign in some contexts, abrupt and extreme spikes often suggest click manipulation, such as automated clicking or fraud.

Our system blocks suspicious sources contributing to these spikes to ensure your metrics remain reliable and your ad spend is protected.

This helps you avoid wasting resources on non-productive interactions and ensures that your marketing data accurately reflects genuine user interest.

If you run a campaign that might naturally experience high CTR spikes, such as a flash sale or viral content, you can work with our team to fine-tune the detection settings.

Outdated Operating System

Dashboard Indication: “Old OS version”

Description: Clicks from an outdated operating system.

“Old OS version” means we’ve detected clicks from devices running outdated operating systems. These systems are less common among everyday users and can be used by automated scripts or bots for fake traffic activity.

Blocking clicks from these OS versions helps safeguard your campaign data and prevent malicious actors from distorting your performance metrics.

Our system uses industry data to determine which operating systems are commonly used and flags those that fall significantly outside these norms.

If you believe certain outdated systems should be allowed for your campaign, you can request adjustments through our support team.

Keeping your ad engagements free from suspicious OS versions ensures that your metrics are accurate and reflect real user behavior.

Mobile Emulator Usage

Dashboard Indication: “Mobile emulator detected”

Description: Clicks from a mobile emulator.

“Mobile emulator detected” means our system has identified traffic originating from a mobile emulator rather than a real device.

Mobile emulators are software tools that mimic the behavior of mobile devices and are often used in click fraud schemes to simulate real user interactions.

By blocking traffic from emulators, ClickPatrol helps ensure genuine users, not fake users programs are clicking your ads.

This protection is critical for advertisers who need accurate data on mobile engagement, as fake mobile clicks can waste budgets and distort performance metrics.

Known Click Farms

Dashboard Indication: “Click farm activity”

Description: Click detected as originating from a click farm.

“Click farm activity” indicates that our system has flagged traffic from a known click farm.

Click farms are operations where groups of people or automated systems generate fake clicks on ads to deplete ad budgets or artificially inflate engagement metrics.

These clicks have no real value and can severely distort your campaign performance.

ClickPatrol blocks this type of traffic to protect your investment and ensure your ads reach authentic, interested users. Our system maintains a database of known click farms and uses pattern analysis to detect suspicious activity.

If you have any concerns about legitimate clicks being blocked or require assistance with customizing your campaign settings, our support team is available to help.

Automated Traffic Detected

Dashboard Indication: “Automated traffic”

Description: Identified as non-human, automated traffic.

“Automated traffic” means our system has detected a click generated by a non-human source, such as a bot or automated script.

These clicks are often used in click fraud schemes to deplete ad budgets or distort engagement metrics. Automated traffic lacks genuine interest in your content, making it ineffective and costly.

ClickPatrol uses advanced algorithms to distinguish human interactions from automated ones.

By blocking this type of traffic, we help ensure your campaigns receive authentic engagements, protecting your ad spend and preserving data accuracy.

Untrusted IP Address

Dashboard Indication: “Untrusted IP”

Description: Clicks from an IP are flagged as untrustworthy.

“Untrusted IP” means the click originated from an IP address flagged as suspicious. This could be due to a history of fraudulent behavior, association with known threats, or abnormal activity patterns.

Untrusted IP addresses often signal potential click fraud, so our system blocks these clicks to protect your campaigns.

By preventing traffic from untrustworthy sources, ClickPatrol ensures that your ad spend is allocated to genuine users and that your performance metrics remain reliable.

Maintaining clean and trustworthy data is essential for optimizing your marketing efforts and making informed decisions.

Location Mismatch

Dashboard Indication: “Location discrepancy”

Description: The IP location does not match the reported user location.

“Location discrepancy” indicates a significant mismatch between the reported user location and the IP address’s location.

This often suggests using proxies, VPNs, or other location-masking techniques. ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure accurate geographic data and protect against potential click fraud.

Location mismatches can be particularly damaging for campaigns that rely on precise geographic targeting, leading to wasted ad spend and distorted analytics.

Our system helps maintain data integrity by identifying and filtering such suspicious interactions.

High Device Switching

Dashboard Indication: “Frequent device switching”

Description: Rapid changes between devices.

“Frequent device switching” means our system has detected a user rapidly switching between multiple devices while interacting with your ads.

This behavior is often characteristic of bots or automated systems that mimic human interactions across different platforms. By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol ensures that your ad data reflects consistent, human-driven engagement.

Rapid device switching can compromise your campaign’s performance metrics, making it difficult to optimize effectively.

Blocking these interactions preserves the quality of your data, ensuring that your analysis and subsequent marketing decisions are based on genuine user behavior.

Anonymous Proxy Usage

Dashboard Indication: “Anonymous proxy”

Description: Detected as using an anonymous proxy.

“Anonymous proxy” indicates that a click came from a user hiding their identity and location through a proxy.

Anonymous proxies make it difficult to determine the true origin of traffic, which can be a red flag for click fraud or suspicious activity.

ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to safeguard your ad campaigns and ensure your metrics remain reliable.

By filtering out traffic from anonymous proxies, we help prevent fake activity actors from manipulating your campaigns.

This ensures that your ad budget reaches real, verifiable users who are genuinely interested in your content.

If you require more flexibility in handling anonymous proxy traffic for legitimate purposes, our team can customize your settings to fit your specific needs.

Click Repetition

Dashboard Indication: “Repeated clicks”

Description: The same user repeatedly clicks ads.

“Repeated clicks” means our system has identified multiple clicks from the same user or source within a short period.

This behavior can indicate suspicious activity, such as attempts to drain your ad budget or artificially inflate engagement metrics.

By blocking repeated clicks, ClickPatrol protects your ad spend, and your campaign data accurately reflects genuine user interest.

Repeated clicks are especially problematic when they occur without meaningful engagement, as they skew performance metrics and waste resources.

Our system flags and blocks these interactions to keep your data clean and actionable.

Fake Referrer Information

Dashboard Indication: “Fake referrer detected”

Description: Suspicious or manipulated referrer data.

“Fake referrer detected” means the click came with manipulated or suspicious referrer information.

The referrer data typically indicates the previous page the user visited before clicking your ad. When this information is faked, it can be a sign of fraudulent activity or attempts to hide the true origin of the click.

ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure the integrity of your campaign data.

Fake referrer information can disrupt your ability to analyze traffic sources and understand user behavior.

By filtering out these clicks, we help maintain accurate tracking and protect against potential threats to your marketing efforts.

If you suspect legitimate traffic has been incorrectly flagged, our support team can work with you to review and adjust your settings as needed.

Known Malware Sources

Dashboard Indication: “Malware source”

Description: Clicks originating from known malware-infected sources.

“Malware source” means our system has flagged a click from a device or network associated with malware activity.

Malware-infected devices can generate fake clicks, either automatically or under the control of malicious actors.

Blocking these clicks helps safeguard your ad campaigns from potential harm and ensures your metrics are not compromised by fake engagement.

Traffic from malware sources poses a significant risk to your ad performance and data security. By filtering these clicks, ClickPatrol helps protect your campaigns from budget depletion and data distortion.

High Latency Traffic

Dashboard Indication: “High latency detected”

Description: Clicks with unusually high latency or delay.

“High latency detected” indicates that the click response time was significantly delayed.

High latency can occur when traffic is routed through multiple servers, often used by proxies, VPNs, or automated systems.

This can indicate suspicious behavior, as legitimate user interactions typically have low latency. ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure your data remains accurate and reflects genuine user behavior.

High latency traffic can interfere with proper ad performance tracking and lead to misleading engagement metrics.

Blocking these interactions helps maintain data quality and prevents potential misuse of your ad budget.

Unusual Browser Behavior

Dashboard Indication: “Unusual browser detected”

Description: Clicks from a browser exhibiting strange or non-standard behavior.

“Unusual browser detected” means our system has flagged a click from a browser that behaves unexpectedly, such as sending abnormal user-agent strings or lacking standard browser features.

These behaviors can indicate the use of automated scripts, bots, or non-human interactions. ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to protect your campaign from fake traffic activity and ensure your metrics remain reliable.

By filtering out traffic from suspicious browsers, we help keep your data accurate and ensure your ads reach real users.

This is crucial for making data-driven marketing decisions and optimizing your campaigns effectively.

Invalid User-Agent String

Dashboard Indication: “Invalid user-agent”

Description: Clicks with a non-standard or suspicious user-agent string.

“Invalid user agent” means our system detected a click with a user-agent string that does not conform to standard browser or device identifiers.

The user-agent string helps identify the device and browser used for accessing content. When these strings are manipulated or appear invalid, they often signal automated traffic or attempt to mask the true nature of the click.

ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure the integrity of your data and prevent fake traffic activity from skewing your campaign performance.

This helps maintain accurate metrics and ensures your marketing decisions are based on genuine user interactions.

If your audience includes devices or browsers that legitimately have non-standard user-agent strings, our support team can help configure exceptions.

Device Inconsistencies

Dashboard Indication: “Device mismatch”

Description: Clicks with conflicting or inconsistent device information.

“Device mismatch” means our system has identified a click where the device information is inconsistent, such as a mismatch between the reported operating system and browser type.

This can indicate suspicious or automated activity, as real user devices report consistent data.

By blocking clicks with device inconsistencies, ClickPatrol helps ensure your campaign data is reliable and free from the influence of fake interactions.

Accurate device tracking is crucial for optimizing your ads and understanding user behavior.

Unverified Click Source

Dashboard Indication: “Unverified source”

Description: Clicks from a source that cannot be verified.

“Unverified source” means our system detected a click from a source that lacks sufficient data for proper verification.

This could be due to incomplete or manipulated information, making it difficult to determine the legitimacy of the interaction.

Blocking clicks from unverified sources helps protect your ad campaigns from potential fraud and ensures that your performance metrics reflect real user engagement.

Unverified sources are often associated with malicious actors or automated traffic that can skew your campaign data. By filtering out these clicks, ClickPatrol preserves the quality and accuracy of your analytics.

Suspicious Cookie Behavior

Dashboard Indication: “Cookie manipulation”

Description: Clicks with evidence of suspicious or manipulated cookies.

“Cookie manipulation” indicates that our system has detected unusual or altered cookie behavior. Cookies help track user activity and ensure consistent experiences across browsing sessions.

When cookie data is manipulated, it can be a sign of fake or automated activity. ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure the integrity of your campaign data.

Suspicious cookie behavior can interfere with accurate tracking and lead to unreliable engagement metrics.

By blocking these interactions, we protect your ad spend and ensure your marketing efforts are focused on genuine users.

Uncommon Screen Resolution

Dashboard Indication: “Uncommon screen resolution”

Description: Clicks from devices with unusual or uncommon screen resolutions.

“Uncommon screen resolution” means the click originated from a device with a screen resolution that does not align with typical user devices.

This can indicate automated systems or non-standard devices often used in click fraud. ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to keep your data clean and your ad spend effective.

Screen resolution is a key factor in understanding the types of devices your audience uses.

Blocking traffic from uncommon resolutions helps ensure that your campaign performance metrics accurately reflect real user behavior and device usage.

High Bounce Rate Source

Dashboard Indication: “High bounce rate”

Description: Clicks from a source known for generating high bounce rates.

“High bounce rate” means our system has identified clicks from a source that frequently leads to immediate exits from your site.

High bounce rates often indicate low-quality traffic, which can include bots, disinterested users, or fake clicks designed to waste your ad budget.

By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol helps ensure that your ad spend targets users who are more likely to engage with your content.

A high bounce rate can negatively impact your campaign’s performance and make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of your ads.

By filtering out traffic from these sources, we help you maintain data integrity and optimize your campaigns for better results.

Non-Standard Time Zone

Dashboard Indication: “Unusual time zone”

Description: Clicks from devices set to uncommon or suspicious time zones.

“Unusual time zone” indicates that the click came from a device with a time zone setting that does not match typical user behavior for the target location.

This can signify fake or automated activity, as bots or proxies may use non-standard time zones to mask their true origin.

ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure your metrics are accurate and free from suspicious influences.

Time zone discrepancies can distort your understanding of user engagement patterns and lead to ineffective ad targeting.

By blocking these interactions, we help preserve the accuracy of your campaign data and improve your ability to make informed marketing decisions.

If you have specific campaign needs that require accommodating unusual time zones, our support team can work with you to customize your settings.

Clicks from Blacklisted IPs

Dashboard Indication: “Blacklisted IP”

Description: Clicks from IP addresses that are on known blacklists.

“Blacklisted IP” means our system has blocked a click from an IP address that appears on one or more blacklists.

Blacklisted IPs are often associated with spam, fraud, or other malicious activities.

Blocking clicks from these sources protects your ad campaigns from being exploited and ensures your data remains trustworthy.

IP blacklists are maintained by security organizations and are used to identify and filter out harmful traffic.

By leveraging these lists, ClickPatrol helps keep your campaigns safe from click fraud and ensures your ad budget is used effectively.

Rapid Click Speed

Dashboard Indication: “Rapid clicking detected”

Description: Clicks occurring at an unusually fast pace.

“Rapid clicking detected” means our system has observed a series of clicks happening at an unnaturally fast rate. This behavior is typical of automated systems or bots rather than real human users.

By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol helps protect your ad budget and ensures your engagement metrics accurately reflect genuine user interest.

Rapid clicking can waste resources and provide misleading data about your campaign’s effectiveness.

Blocking these interactions helps maintain the quality of your marketing data and allows for better optimization of your ad strategies.

Inconsistent Browser Settings

Dashboard Indication: “Inconsistent browser settings”

Description: Clicks from browsers with unusual or conflicting settings.

“Inconsistent browser settings” means our system has flagged a click from a browser with settings that don’t align with typical user configurations.

This can include mismatches in language settings, disabled features, or modified headers. These inconsistencies may indicate the use of bots or automated scripts, leading to potential click fraud.

By blocking clicks from browsers with unusual settings, ClickPatrol ensures your campaign data remains reliable and unaffected by suspicious activity.

This helps you make informed decisions and optimize your campaigns effectively.

Unusual Referrer Domain

Dashboard Indication: “Unusual referrer”

Description: Clicks from a domain that does not typically refer traffic to your ads.

“Unusual referrer” means our system has detected clicks originating from a domain that is not commonly associated with your campaign’s normal traffic sources.

This can be a sign of click fraud or attempts to hide the true origin of the interaction.

By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol helps maintain the integrity of your campaign data and prevents suspicious traffic from skewing your performance metrics.

Referrer data is crucial for understanding where your traffic is coming from and making informed marketing decisions.

Unusual referrers can interfere with this analysis, making it difficult to optimize your ad strategy. Blocking these interactions ensures your data remains clean and actionable.

Known Phishing Source

Dashboard Indication: “Phishing source detected”

Description: Clicks from a source known for phishing activity.

“Phishing source detected” indicates that our system has identified a click coming from a source associated with phishing.

Phishing sources are known for fraudulent activities designed to deceive or harm users.

By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol helps safeguard your campaigns from malicious actors and ensures fraudulent interactions do not compromise your data.

Protecting your campaign from phishing-related sources is critical to maintaining data security and preventing your ad spend from being wasted on ineffective or harmful clicks.

This proactive approach ensures your marketing budget is used efficiently and only on legitimate user engagement.

Misconfigured Device

Dashboard Indication: “Misconfigured device”

Description: Clicks from a device with incorrect or suspicious configuration settings.

“Misconfigured device” means our system has flagged a click from a device that has been set up incorrectly or has abnormal settings.

This can include mismatched device attributes, unusual screen resolutions, or manipulated configurations that are often signs of automated or fake traffic activity.

ClickPatrol blocks these clicks to ensure your ad performance data is accurate and reflective of real user engagement.

Misconfigured devices can distort campaign results and lead to inefficient ad spend.

By filtering out traffic from these sources, we help maintain data quality and optimize your campaigns for genuine interactions.

IP Address Changes Too Frequently

Dashboard Indication: “Frequent IP changes”

Description: Clicks from a source that changes IP addresses too often.

“Frequent IP changes” means our system detects a source that rapidly switches between IP addresses while interacting with your ads.

This behavior is often indicative of automated systems or proxies used to mask real user identities. By blocking these clicks, ClickPatrol helps prevent click fraud and ensures your campaign metrics reflect genuine, stable user engagement.

Consistent IP addresses are essential for tracking user behavior and analyzing campaign performance accurately.

Rapid IP changes can make it difficult to verify the authenticity of clicks, leading to unreliable data. Blocking these interactions keeps your ad performance metrics clean and actionable.