In simple terms, Proxies, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), and Tor are all technologies that hide a user's true IP address and geographic location by routing their internet connection through one or more intermediary servers.
While they have legitimate uses for privacy, they are also the primary tools used to commit click fraud.
| Technology | How it Works (Mechanism) | Fraudulent Use Case |
| VPN (Virtual Private Network) | Encrypts a user's connection and routes it through a server often located in a different city or country. | Fraudsters bypass campaign location targeting (e.g., making a click from Vietnam appear to come from the USA). |
| Proxy Server | Acts as a middleman between the user's device and your website to mask the original IP. | Click farms and bots use massive networks to generate thousands of clicks that appear to come from unique, global visitors. |
| Tor (The Onion Router) | Router)Bounces traffic through multiple layers of anonymous servers, making the user's origin nearly impossible to trace. | Used for highly sophisticated and malicious online activities, including untraceable click fraud. |
Fraudsters rely heavily on these tools to:
| Bypass Location Targeting | Make clicks appear to come from countries you are targeting. |
| Hide Their Identity | Mask their true IP address to avoid detection. |
| Simulate Multiple Users | Rapidly switch IP addresses to make one bot look like thousands of different visitors. |
To protect your ad budget from these common and effective fraud tactics, ClickSambo proactively blocks traffic originating from known commercial VPNs, data center proxies, and the Tor network.
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