Strategic Sabotage in Digital Advertising: A Qualitative Study of Competitor Click Fraud Mechanisms and Impacts
(A2025-130262)

AUTHORS

Dejla Hrnjadovic, Brandenburg University of Technology; Florian Dost, Brandenburg University of Technology

ABSTRACT

Competitor click fraud (CCF) represents a strategic manipulation of digital advertising environments, where adversarial actors seek to inflate costs, distort performance metrics, erode brand reputation, and suppress market visibility of rivals. Based on qualitative interviews with industry experts, a supporting survey, and consultations with fraud detection professionals, this study identifies four key dimensions of CCF: tangible harms, strategic motivations, operational mechanisms, and organizational responses. The findings demonstrate that CCF extends beyond technical fraud, constituting a complex, multi-dimensional threat to competitive dynamics in digital advertising ecosystems. This research advances theoretical understanding by framing CCF as an emergent form of strategic sabotage and outlines practical recommendations for improving organizational resilience and platform governance.