Mid-Year 2025: Why Ad Fraud Feels Like a Game You Can’t Win

If you work in digital advertising, you’ve probably noticed fraud isn’t just “out there” somewhere, it’s knocking right on your door. FraudScore’s mid-year 2025 report just confirmed what many of us have been feeling: the game’s getting harder.

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A Promising Start… That Didn’t Last January had us thinking, “Hey, maybe we’re turning a corner.” Fraud rates dipped to 31.6%, the lowest in a while. But by June? We hit 49% the worst month in five years. That’s a jump you don’t just brush off.

Where the Trouble Is Some markets are feeling the heat more than others. South America tops the list with over 41% fraudulent traffic, followed by the EU at 36%. APAC’s sitting just under 30%. Even places with lower numbers, like the US/Canada or India, aren’t immune fraud tends to migrate to softer targets.

Same Old Tricks, Sharper Execution Blacklist traffic, event fraud, IP spoofing… the usual suspects are still leading the charts. But here’s the kicker: fraudsters aren’t sticking to one play. They mix tactics, layer them, and keep us guessing.

Mobile Takes the Biggest Hit Mobile ad space continues to be the main battlefield, averaging over 40% fraud this half-year. Web’s a bit better (just over 13%) but still nothing to celebrate.

The Takeaway Ad fraud isn’t something you can “solve” once and be done with. It’s an ongoing chase, and the other side is always a step ahead. If you’re buying traffic, check your defenses. If you’re selling it, make sure your partners trust you because 2025 isn’t slowing down.