Guides and field notes
Plain-English guides and short field notes on invalid clicks in Google Ads: what they are, where to see them, and how to request credits from Google.
Guides
Straight answers to the questions advertisers ask about invalid clicks in Google Ads.
Ivo Kostadinov · · 5 min read
Am I paying for fake clicks on Google Ads?
Probably a little, and probably less than you fear. Here is what Google already filters, what can still reach your bill, and how to check your own account.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 4 min read
Why do my Google Ads get clicks but no sales?
Usually it's tracking, targeting or the landing page, not fraud. Here is the order to check things in, and where to look for each one.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 4 min read
Is click fraud protection worth it?
It depends on your spend, your cost per click and which networks you use. Here is a fair way to work it out for your own account.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 4 min read
How do I get a refund for invalid clicks on Google Ads?
Google credits some invalid activity automatically. For the rest you can request an investigation, as long as it's within 60 days. Here is how to do it well.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 4 min read
What evidence does Google need for a click fraud claim?
Google needs records it can check against its own data: timestamps, IP addresses, GCLIDs, campaigns and a clear pattern. Here is the full list.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 3 min read
How far back can I claim invalid clicks?
About 60 days, counted back from the day you submit, and the window slides forward every day. Here is what that means in practice.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 3 min read
Where do I see invalid clicks in Google Ads?
Four places: the Invalid clicks columns, Billing adjustments, the Invalid Activity Credit Report and your invoice. Each one shows something different.
Read →Field notes
Short, practical notes on invalid traffic in Google Ads.
Ivo Kostadinov · · 3 min read
The SaveMyBudget Toolkit is open source
Run the tag and the detection rules on your own server, build the package Google's form asks for, and file it yourself. Here's what's in it and what stays with the service.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 5 min read
Why we opened the toolkit: a note from the founder
Click fraud is bigger than any one company. Opening the tooling is how we help advertisers be ready for it — and how we earn trust. A note from Ivo.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 2 min read
Claims run on evidence. Build the file.
There are two ways to raise invalid clicks with Google and only one goes anywhere. The catch is that evidence cannot be collected retroactively.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 2 min read
You blocked the IP. The bot moved on.
An exclusion list is a snapshot of something that moves. Behaviour does not rotate — and it is what makes the evidence readable later.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 2 min read
Google gives credits. Almost nobody asks.
There is a second route for invalid clicks, it runs about sixty days back, and it slides forward every day. Most accounts have nothing to put in it.
Read →Ivo Kostadinov · · 2 min read
10–20% of your ad budget buys nothing
A click from a data centre and a click from a customer cost the same and sit in the same row. Your Google Ads report was never built to tell them apart.
Read →Ready to protect your ad budget?
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See how it worksGoogle decides every claim — estimates are not quotes.