What evidence does Google require for a Performance Max refund?
(The exact cryptographic, socket, and GCLID data points Google billing demands)
If your session recordings in Clarity or Hotjar show PMax clicks bouncing in seconds, cursor moving like a bot, or submitting fake leads, it’s bots clicking your ads. When Smart Bidding runs out of Google.com searchers, it automatically diverts your budget into third-party Search Partner sites and mobile apps, where up to 70% of placements use automated bots for click-revenue arbitrage.
Google billing investigators process thousands of dispute requests every month. The vast majority are summarily denied because advertisers submit subjective evidence—like Google Analytics bounce rates, Hotjar screen recordings, or lists of spam lead email addresses. Google considers these "circumstantial." To approve a credit adjustment under Policy 11182074, Google requires deterministic, cryptographic evidence linking individual Google Click Identifiers (GCLIDs) to automated browser execution.
BotRefund detects bot clicks on PMax and gets you refunded by Google
We collect the exact microsecond telemetry, JA4 TLS fingerprints, and Chrome DevTools Protocol logs required by Google billing investigators to approve your refunds.
Add free monitoring to your website →3 technical evidence categories Google billing investigators demand
Google Click Identifier (GCLID) and microsecond timestamp binding
Every single disputed ad dollar must be tied to an authentic GCLID generated by Google’s ad servers, along with the precise microsecond timestamp of the incoming HTTP request. Without the GCLID, Google cannot locate the auction in their internal ledger.
Socket-level TLS JA3/JA4 cryptographic handshake signatures
Human browsers using macOS or Windows produce distinctive TLS cipher suite orders and TCP window parameters. Headless Python scripts, Puppeteer containers, and bot frameworks produce recognizable JA4 signatures that prove automated execution.
Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) and runtime automation hooks
Modern bots operate inside automated browser instances. Telemetry proving the presence of `window.navigator.webdriver`, prototype tampering, and missing WebGL shader extensions provides undeniable proof of botnet operation.
How to verify your technical evidence meets Google’s refund standards
Follow these direct in-account steps to verify invalid traffic volumes and determine your refundable ad spend balance.
Check if GCLIDs are captured in your landing page URL strings
Ensure Auto-tagging is enabled in Google Ads settings. Verify that incoming visitors with `?gclid=` parameters have their full query strings logged in server access logs.
Inspect web server request headers for proxy footprints
Check incoming request headers for `X-Forwarded-For`, data center ASN ranges, and TLS cipher mismatches that characterize automated bot traffic.
Deploy BotRefund’s automated forensic listener
Instead of manually parsing server logs, BotRefund’s 50ms script captures all 180+ behavioral and cryptographic data points automatically, compiling them into a Google-compliant dossier.
How BotRefund restores your Performance Max ROI
Deterministic forensic detection on-site combined with certified billing recovery from Google Ads.
83% of our Google refund disputes are approved
Marketers frequently post on Reddit that Google Ads customer support refuses to issue refunds for junk traffic. That is because advertisers submit generic dispute tickets stating "we want our money back from bad sites."
Google billing investigators dismiss subjective placement complaints. However, when BotRefund submits cryptographic TLS JA4 handshakes, automated Chrome DevTools hooks, and verified GCLID microsecond logs proving non-human execution, investigators must approve credits under official Google Policy 11182074.
99% forensic accuracy without relying on useless IP blocklists
Traditional click fraud software tries to block IP addresses. But Google doesn't allow IP exclusions in Performance Max campaigns, and modern bot syndicates rotate through millions of residential mobile IP proxies anyway.
BotRefund operates inside the client browser. We evaluate 180+ behavioral and cryptographic signals—including sub-millisecond mouse tremor entropy, CDP automation hooks, WebGL shaders, and keypress timing—instantly isolating automated form scripts without blocking real human prospects.
Real-time pixel suppression stops the bot feedback loop
When automated bots hit your site from junk websites, any incidental trigger or micro-conversion will corrupt your Smart Bidding model. If Google registers a success signal, it will double down on buying more clicks from that exact publisher network.
BotRefund detects synthetic telemetry in under 50ms and silently suppresses the Google Ads conversion pixel. The spam submission never registers with Google's machine learning, protecting your Smart Bidding model and driving down your true Customer Acquisition Cost.
Zero CAPTCHA friction for your high-value human buyers
Putting annoying CAPTCHA checkboxes or puzzle challenges on your landing page destroys legitimate conversion rates. Real executives and buyers will bounce immediately, while automated botnets solve CAPTCHAs in seconds using automated solving services.
BotRefund operates entirely in the background. Real prospects experience a completely frictionless, fast-loading form submission, while automated scraping bots are cataloged and queued for billing recovery.
How Enterprise Logistics Recovered $24,800 from Google Ads Billing
A B2B freight brokerage running Performance Max saw daily spend hit budget caps within two hours every morning. Over 80% of form submissions had disconnected numbers. BotRefund’s forensic audit revealed an offshore click farm targeting their high-cpc keywords via Search Partner mobile apps.
$24,800
Google Ads Billing Credits Approved
9 Days
Time from Dossier Filing to Ledger Credit
−78%
Reduction in Disconnected Sales Leads
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Google Ads Policy 11182074, GCLID evidence, and Performance Max invalid click recovery.
Stop letting Google bill you for automated bot clicks
Every day of delay burns recoverable cash under Google’s strict 60-day dispute limit. Add free monitoring today and let BotRefund recover your wasted budget on 100% contingency.
Add free monitoring to your website →