UA Fraud in 2025: How to Protect Your Budget From Bots and Fake Installs

Mobile user acquisition has never been more competitive — and expensive. With CPIs rising and privacy rules limiting targeting, every dollar counts. But fraudsters know this too. In 2025, UA fraud remains one of the biggest threats to marketing budgets, siphoning billions globally.

Fraud doesn’t just waste money — it poisons data. Fake installs inflate numbers, distort benchmarks, and make it harder to optimize campaigns. Left unchecked, UA fraud can derail even the best acquisition strategy.

The Main Types of UA Fraud in 2025

1. Bot Installs

• Automated systems mimic real users, generating fake installs or clicks.

• Bots often simulate in-app events (tutorial completed, first purchase) to appear legitimate.

  
  

2. Click Injection

• Fraudsters trigger a fake “last click” just before a legitimate install.

• They steal credit for organic or paid installs, making attribution unreliable.

  
  

3. Click Spamming

• Networks flood attribution platforms with millions of fake clicks.

• A fraction of installs get wrongly attributed to them by chance.

  
  

4. Device Farms

• Real devices, controlled in bulk, generate fake installs and interactions.

• Harder to detect than pure bots since the signals look human.

  
  

5. SDK Spoofing

• Fraudsters send fake install or event signals directly to attribution systems.

• Bypasses the app entirely, tricking marketers into paying for “ghost” users.

  
  

How UA Fraud Affects Campaigns

• Wasted budget → paying for installs that never play or pay.

• Distorted KPIs → CTR, CPI, retention, and ROAS benchmarks become unreliable.

• Optimization breakdown → algorithms allocate budget to fraudulent sources, starving real ones.

• Trust issues → publishers and networks risk relationships when fraud isn’t controlled.

  
  

Fraud doesn’t just cost money — it costs time, learning, and growth opportunities.

How to Detect UA Fraud

1. Check Retention Drops

   • If retention is near zero after Day 1, fraud is likely.

     
     

2. Look for Abnormal Patterns

   • Unusually high click-to-install rates.

   • Identical device IDs or IP clusters.

     
     

3. Analyze Event Quality

   • Fraudsters fake installs but rarely fake meaningful long-term actions.

   • Compare early events vs deep-funnel engagement.

     
     

4. Use Fraud Detection Tools

   • MMPs like Singular, Adjust, or AppsFlyer offer fraud protection suites.

   • Look for advanced fraud signals like timestamp anomalies or mismatched device data.

     
     

How to Prevent UA Fraud in 2025

1. Work With Trusted Partners

   • Vet networks and partners for transparency.

   • Avoid buying cheap traffic from unknown sources.

     
     

2. Leverage Fraud Prevention Suites

   • Use MMP fraud filters to block suspicious installs.

   • Continuously update detection rules as fraud tactics evolve.

     
     

3. Use Multi-Layer Protection

   • Combine in-house filters with MMP solutions.

   • Gamelight, for example, applies a 4-layer anti-fraud stack to keep fraud rates <0.5%.

     
     

4. Focus on Post-Install KPIs

   • Track retention, engagement depth, and ROAS.

   • Fraudulent users rarely survive deeper funnel checks.

     
     

5. Reward Quality, Not Volume

   • Incentivize partners by long-term KPIs (LTV, ROAS) instead of raw installs.

     
     

The Future of UA Fraud

Fraudsters evolve fast. In 2025 and beyond, expect:

• Smarter bots simulating realistic in-app behavior.

• More SDK spoofing as MMP defenses improve elsewhere.

• AI-driven detection to fight AI-driven fraud.

• Greater collaboration across networks, MMPs, and publishers to share fraud signals.

  
  

The arms race continues — but marketers who prioritize fraud prevention will stay ahead.

Final Thoughts

UA fraud is an unavoidable reality in 2025 — but it doesn’t have to drain your budget. With the right mix of tools, processes, and trusted partners, you can minimize risk, protect your data, and focus on real growth.

Fraud prevention isn’t just about defense — it’s about making sure every dollar you spend works harder.

Looking to boost your game's user acquisition?

Utilize a self-serve dashboard to easily and effectively enhance your UA efforts. These user-friendly dashboards give you complete control over your budget and offer extensive targeting options, making it a smart choice for elevating your game's reach.

Gamelight’s advertising platform is a leading mobile marketing solution equipped with an intuitive self-serve dashboard. Operating on a CPI basis, it drives direct traffic from a self-published mobile game recommendation platform. Moreover, you can set up your account and launch your first campaign in just 5 minutes!

Try the self-serve dashboard of the Gamelight advertising platform.

If you need help, fill in THIS FORM and one of our team members will get back to you within 24 hours.