Google Ads click fraud investigation and tag control

Ad Protect can control when configured advertising tags load on your own pages. With Smart Bidding Training enabled for a path, configured tags load for trusted and unknown visits and are withheld from untrusted visits, subject to your settings and plan.

This applies to conversions measured by the tags Button loads, including across Search, Shopping and Performance Max. It does not change Google Ads IP exclusion lists, reverse a paid click, or guarantee a refund or bidding improvement.

• Ad Protect overview

Install Button in Analytics only and compare questionable traffic with trusted traffic across campaigns, landing pages and outcomes. Record the period, traffic counts, classification coverage and the reason for considering a change.

Check alternatives such as campaign mix, geography, consent changes and missing collection. A suspicious classification is evidence to investigate; it is not proof that every associated click is fraudulent.

1. Open Configuration for the verified site. Under Tracking scripts, enter your Google Ads tag ID or IDs.
2. Add the path you want to evaluate and select Smart Bidding Training. A path covers itself and its descendants; a more specific path takes precedence.
3. Use other ids on this path only when that part of the site should report to different accounts.
4. Review the path’s protection setting, strict mode, percentage bypass and ad-click-only loading option. These change which visits receive tags or page access.
5. Coordinate removal of the original Ads loader on the selected paths with enabling Button-managed loading, then save and verify the published setup.

Keep in mind: Strict mode also removes page content for untrusted access. Review that separately from filtering advertising feedback. Keep a record of the previous setup so you can restore it.

On managed paths, remove or suppress the original Google Ads loader and relevant AW- configuration from the page, platform integration or Tag Manager. If GTM controls those tags, pause them for site-wide coverage or use an exception trigger for the selected paths.

Keep required dataLayer/gtag stubs so event calls do not fail. Decide separately whether Google Analytics remains independently loaded; do not remove a shared tag without checking its other destinations. An independent copy of the Ads tag can bypass the filtering.

1. Check the selected paths in browser Network tools and, where applicable, GTM Preview. Confirm there is one intended tag loader and no independent duplicate.
2. Check Configuration history to distinguish a saved setting from a file sent to the site. A publication record alone does not prove a browser has applied it.
3. An untrusted automated browser may receive no advertising tags. Verify the intended behavior across relevant classifications and consent states.
4. Compare subsequent platform reporting and traffic evidence against your recorded baseline. Recheck collection and legitimate visitor access before attributing any change to filtering.

• Troubleshoot tag loading
• How classifications affect feedback