New research suggests that an elaborate cybercrime ring is responsible for stealing between $3 million and $5 million worth of revenue from online publishers and video advertising networks each day. Experts say the scam relies on a vast network of cloaked Internet addresses, rented data centers, phony Web sites and fake users made to look like real people watching short ad segments online.[blink] [blink]
Wow.
UPDATE 21 December 2016 14:01: Fixed an autocorrect-induced typo.
3 comments:
Since I had no idea what one bonnet meant, I went on to the linked piece to read. Along the way, I think I learned "bonnet" meant botnet, but then I'm not sure I see who's being defrauded here.
They're pretending to be reading ads, which I think would drive up the cost to advertisers. Doesn't that mean whoever is selling the ads (Google/FB or whoever) is getting more money for ads that aren't really being looked at? Running all these fake sites costs money, and I don't see how the guys running the fake sites are making money. I can see this is actually good for whoever is selling the ads - the fake botnet makes it seem like the ads are reaching more people than they really are.
SiGraybeard, thanks. Damned autocorrect.
Yeah, I saw that too and the article totally fails to explain how the botnet owners get money, as opposed to simply wasting the advertisers' money.
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