What Are Phantom Clicks?
Phantom clicks are a fraudulent technique where bad actors generate fake clicks that circumvent typical fraud detection. These fake clicks bypass the Demand Side Platform (DSP) and go directly to the Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) without verification.
Fraudsters obtain legitimate MMP attribution URLs and periodically submit them to artificially inflate their perceived value and redirect advertising spending toward fraudulent sources. Since these involve genuine impressions and devices, they're difficult to detect through conventional means.
How Click Signing Works
Adfuel partnered with AppsFlyer to implement click signing—a cryptographic verification process. The mechanism operates through three steps:
- Adfuel adds expiration timestamps and cryptographically signs AppsFlyer click URLs using a secret key
- AppsFlyer validates that clicks remain unexpired and authenticates signatures
- Any URL modification or timestamp alteration causes signature mismatches, triggering rejection
Background Context
Adfuel historically combats click spam using machine learning models focused on meaningful user app engagement. However, as fraud tactics evolve, supplementary protections became necessary.
The organization now verifies each click before transmission to mobile measurement partners, targeting reduced fraudulent attributions.
Conclusion
Click signing represents another layer in Adfuel's multi-faceted approach to fraud prevention, ensuring advertisers receive genuine, verified traffic for their campaigns.