Ad stacking scams are some of the most common scams on the internet, and right now they’re targeting advertisers more than ever before. To prevent any more businesses from being harmed by these fraudulent attacks, it’s important to learn how they work and how to avoid them at all costs. Keep reading to find out more about ad stacking scams, learn how they work from marketing and advertising expert Faisal Abidi, and pick up tips on how to protect your business from them in the future.

What Are Ad Stacking Scams?

An ad stacking scam is an extremely effective strategy used by unscrupulous advertisers to make more money on their ads. Essentially, it works by taking advantage of two key components of online advertising: the Internet’s instant access and our collective inability to filter them out.

In this scenario, multiple ads are placed over each other for more impressions. So, even if the user clicks on the topmost ad, clicks are registered for each placed under the visible ad as well. What results is a page that blends content, ads, and scams together in a fast and disorienting rush; one that’s difficult to decipher but impossible to ignore due to its sheer volume.

The Impact Of Ad Stacking Scams

As pointed out by Faisal Abidi, ad stacking scams are not only a problem for advertisers; they also affect publishers and consumers. If a user is redirected to scammy sites, they can miss out on high-quality content and valuable advertising opportunities.

In some cases, these scams even pose as malware distributors, so unsuspecting users could end up exposing themselves to digital attacks by downloading shady, fraudulent programs. It’s crucial that ad networks work together to end ad stacking scams so consumers can continue getting relevant ads and valuable content.

Warning Signs Of Ad Stacking

As many have found out, it’s very easy to get caught in an ad stacking scam. The signs, thankfully, are pretty clear. If you notice more ads than usual popping up on your screen, that could be a sign that you’re dealing with an ad-stacking scammer.

How To Prevent Ad Stacking

The easiest way to prevent ad stacking is to do your research on an advertising network you plan to use. If they can’t tell you specifically what percentage of inventory is reserved for impression-stacking ads, then don’t use them. You should also ask advertisers upfront if they have or will run stacking ads and see if they have any reservations or concerns about it. Be wary of strategic partners that are contributing to ad stacking issues—they might be targeting sites with a high volume of impressions, but not necessarily getting a lot of user interaction with their ads.

Final Words

The best way to tackle ad stacking scams is to get more transparency in online advertising. This means all parties involved should be able to see how many ads are being served on a page at any given time—and they should have complete control over where their ads appear. If you take away anything from today’s post, let it be that: Ad stacking scams are bad for everyone involved in online advertising. And by everyone, we mean consumers too!