The U.S. is a hotbed for click fraud activity. The sheer size of our economy, combined with deep-pocketed advertisers and comparatively lax rules makes this country an attractive target to both domestic and foreign fraudsters alike. Even more interesting is the fact that some industries are more susceptible to click fraud than others.
Industries with highly competitive keywords and a plethora of online activity are more attractive to fraudsters. That explains why healthcare and real estate are among the top click fraud targets. But there are other attractive industries as well.
Fraud Blocker is a company that develops and maintains one of the leading click fraud prevention solutions on the market. They say the following five industries are targeted more often than others in the U.S.:
1. Financial Services
The financial services industry is a big target here. Of special concern is the home mortgage industry. The same people who scour real estate websites looking for homes also spend considerable time online looking for mortgages. Banks, private lenders, and brokers all compete for the most coveted keywords in the industry. That makes them prime targets for fraudsters looking to maximize revenues.
2. Contractor Services
Next up are contractor services – things like lawn care, plumbing, remodeling, flooring, window installation, roofing, and so on. It makes perfect sense given the fact that telephone books and yellow page directories are virtually nonexistent. When homeowners need contractors, they search online for them.
3. Home Care
Home care is another big target for click fraud. Home care services include things like visiting nurse service and help with cooking, cleaning, etc. Such services are intended mainly for seniors and the disabled. And once again, they are huge targets for fraudsters who know that the industry’s customers are more likely to search online for service providers.
4. Legal Services
The fourth industry on Fraud Blocker’s list may surprise you. It is legal services. Whether a customer is looking for a divorce lawyer, a personal injury attorney, or even criminal representation, one of the easiest and fastest ways to find a practicing attorney in the local area is to search online.
It used to be that lawyers dedicated their ad spend to local newspapers and TV spots. Advertising on TV is still pretty common. As far as newspapers are concerned, they are not nearly as useful as they once were. People are more likely to get their news online than subscribe to a daily paper.
5. Moving and Storage
Rounding out the list are moving and storage services. Unfortunately, the moving industry itself has been rife with fraud for decades. It is not uncommon for crooks to set up phony moving companies, spend several months taking large deposits from customers, and then disappear completely overnight. Legitimate movers already have that problem to deal with. Now they also need to deal with click fraud.
A similar situation exists in the storage industry. Over the years, local storage facilities have faced increased competition by newcomers. The more storage facilities in a given area, the more competitive they are. That makes them very inviting to click fraud perpetrators. Wherever keywords are competitive you will find a higher rate of click fraud.
If you are involved in an especially susceptible industry, investing in click fraud protection software is the first step in fighting back. You can take other steps too, steps that will minimize your losses and keep fraudsters at arm’s length. It is in your best interests to look into click fraud, how it works, and how you can best protect your marketing budget from click fraud losses.
Comments are closed.