Invalid click refund on Google Ads: a step-by-step guide

Google Ads issues a credit for invalid clicks that its automatic filters catch — those show up on your invoice as the "Invalid activity" line. For the invalid clicks Google misses, you have to file a manual refund request. Because the process is poorly known, most advertisers skip it — even though the acceptance rate with the right evidence sits between 30% and 60%.

1. First check existing automatic credit

Open Google Ads → Reports → Predefined Reports → "Invalid Clicks". You'll see the clicks Google has refunded automatically. If that number is zero, be suspicious: either your reporting is misconfigured or Google's filters are weak in your vertical.

Automatic credit is typically 1-3% of spend. If that figure is much lower, you are a strong candidate for a manual refund.

2. Find the manual refund form

You need the form titled "Invalid clicks investigation request" in Google Ads Help. The exact URL varies by country and language; for Turkey navigate through the Help center via "Contact us" → "Billing" → "Invalid clicks".

3. Which evidence is accepted?

Google's review team does not accept a bare claim of "suspicious". You should provide at least two of the following evidence types:

• Click timestamp (UTC, millisecond precision)
• Clicking IP address (anonymized /24 blocks are accepted)
• User-Agent string (browser + device)
• Geographic location (country/city)
• Behavioral evidence: session duration, page views, scroll depth
• Conversion data: has this IP/device ever converted?
• Frequency: how many clicks from this IP in the last 24 hours

4. Evidence file format

Google accepts CSV or Excel. Build a table with the following columns:

5. Request message template

The template below measurably increases the acceptance rate. You can write in Turkish or English; English usually returns faster because most Google review teams are central.

“Hello Google Ads Team, We have identified a pattern of invalid clicks on campaign [Campaign ID] between [start date] and [end date]. Attached CSV contains [N] click events with detected fraud signals (datacenter ASNs, headless browser fingerprints, zero session engagement, geographic inconsistency). The estimated invalid spend is approximately [TRY/USD] [amount]. We request a review and applicable credit. Thank you.”

6. Response time and acceptance rate

Typical response time is 5-15 business days. More complex cases (high-value claims) can extend to 3-4 weeks. The three possible outcomes are full acceptance (credit applied to your invoice), partial acceptance (some clicks approved) or rejection (insufficient evidence).

Rejected claims can be resubmitted with additional evidence. Our observation: around 30% acceptance with a single CSV; 50% once you add a risk-signal column; over 60% with deeper behavioral data.

Common mistakes

• Sending one row per IP (aggregate into /24 blocks instead)
• Submitting timestamps in local time (UTC only)
• Just writing "looks suspicious" without concrete signals
• Filing for clicks older than 60 days
• Resubmitting the same case in quick succession (wait 7 days)

Refunds feel dull but they are the most direct path to recovering budget. On a campaign spending more than TRY 50,000/month, a steady refund discipline can mean TRY 60,000-180,000 in annual recovery.