The sophisticated form of click spamming is known as click injection. There are some android apps that have built-in “install broadcasts” which are used by fraudsters for their own advantage. With the help of these broadcasts, fraudsters know when the users are downloading an app, and then they trigger clicks before the users can complete the installation process. The credit for such installs goes into the account of the fraudster.

The fraudsters who use click injection are quite able to use a junk app to get unauthorized access to a device at any time, using the right information, to develop “ad click”, which not only appears legitimate but can also help the fraudsters acquire a lot of credit. However, fraud prevention tools can help the users from getting deceived by these fraudsters.

What are install broadcasts?

In the above section, we mentioned install broadcasters. Now, let’s explain what the term actually means. In android devices, some signals are sent from an app that has been installed just recently or an app that changes its status when someone uninstalls it. Such signals are referred to as install broadcasts.

A strong connection is created among different apps with install broadcasts, and it also allows and helps the app in streamlining login with a deep link to a password manager installed just recently.

What is the importance of click injection?

Click injection swallows a lot of advertising budget that could be used to acquire more users. Although click injections promote theft, there are some other functions of click injections that must not be neglected.

The ad engagements done by this fraud may appear fake, but the events and transactions that occur during this engagement are certainly not fake. The attribution of the fake ad engagement will take place, undermining the hard work of legitimate advertising partners and organic conversions.

When such frauds take place, the advertisers continue to invest in ineffective advertising, which they could invest in better campaigns.

The bigger picture: Compromised data

Fake engagements not only acquire ad spend but also compromise data. This compromised data is then used by marketers to escalate their ad spending. For instance, if the fraudsters get the hang of the data that signifies the success of a certain campaign, which resonates with the target audience, the marketers will continue to invest in that campaign to enhance ROI.

However, the damage done can be two-fold due to the fraudulent claims on the data. The marketers are not only handing over a great amount of their ad spend but also ignoring other channels that can prove to be successful for their business.