Digital advertising has become one of the most powerful ways for brands to communicate with their audience. And the trend is clear: companies are investing more and more into digital channels, not just traditional media.
But as advertising budgets grow, so do the risks. Fraudulent traffic, lack of transparency in programmatic buying, and violations of data privacy have become unfortunate realities of the industry. According to Juniper Research, which we’ll reference later in this article, global losses due to ad fraud reached a staggering $84 billion in 2023.
If you’re an entrepreneur building a company in the marketing or advertising space, this one’s for you. We spoke with Emin Alpan, CEO at Aceex, who shared how his team has tackled transparency and anti-fraud challenges head-on. Hope these lessons you will apply to strengthen trust with your own partners.
Core Industry Moves Toward Transparency
Some lessons can only be learned the hard way. In AdTech, trial and error come at a high price. A simple mistake related to transparency doesn’t just cost time. It can lead to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars lost and trigger serious reputation damage.
If you’re wondering what to avoid when building a transparent advertising solution, start by checking these basics:
Neglecting privacy regulations: Ignoring GDPR, CCPA or similar privacy laws may cost your business thousands in penalties and, what’s more, significant brand damage.
Buying traffic from questionable sources: Trying to save on media spend often results in bot traffic, poor engagement, and underperforming campaigns.
Relying on just one anti-fraud solution: No single tool can guarantee full protection. It’s crucial to layer multiple fraud detection methods for real results.
Transparency builds long-term partnerships: Advertisers today expect clean inventory, clear reporting, and ongoing compliance with industry standards.
User trust depends on openness: Consumers are increasingly aware of how their data is used. Transparent terms and privacy policies impact loyalty and brand perception.
Technology evolves fast: Staying ahead of fraud means continuously updating your stack and testing new prevention methods.
CEO insight: Emin Alpan on raising the bar in ad-fraud standards
When I first stepped into the world of AdTech back in 2016, the industry was going through rapid and dynamic shifts. New technologies were emerging, SSP and DSP platforms were evolving, and brands were investing heavily in digital advertising. It was an exciting time… RTB, VAST, and other ad-serving methods were gaining traction, and I made it my mission to master them inside and out.
But one problem that haunted the industry back then and still does today is invalid traffic (IVT) and ad fraud. Nearly a decade later, brands continue to pour money into advertising that doesn’t even reach real people. Despite countless anti-fraud solutions, IVT scanners, MRC-accredited tools, and other safeguards — fraudsters are always one step ahead.
The issue? There’s no single, universal solution. Each fraud detection tool works differently: some are great at catching fraud in banner ads, while others specialize in video. Different companies use different scanners, and their reports often don’t align.
So, who’s right? Who’s wrong? If all these scanners are certified, why do their results vary so much?
Fraudsters have caught on to these inconsistencies. They’ve learned how to bypass certain scanners and even tailor their attacks to specific companies. Over time, they’ve scaled up, moving to enterprise-level solutions and raking in even more money because, unfortunately, these are the tools that dominate the industry.
Would a single, industry-wide fraud detection system fix this? Not necessarily.
A monopoly on fraud prevention would only make it easier for bad actors to exploit a single point of failure. Plus, competition among fraud detection solutions forces innovation. Without it, we’d be stuck with outdated defenses while fraudsters continue to evolve.
So, what can we do today? One key indicator that agencies can use even without scanners — is CPM pricing. If a well-known traffic source typically costs $10 CPM, but you’re getting it for $4, and your fraud scanner detects nothing suspicious, it’s worth asking: where is this traffic really coming from? Transparency tools like app-ads.txt and supply chain verification help, but they only work if the entire industry commits to using them properly.
Outcomes
If you’re navigating the complexities of AdTech in 2025, know this: fraud isn’t a solved problem but it’s a solvable one. Back in 2016, we were just learning the ropes. Today, at Aceex, we’re doubling down on smarter fraud detection, experimenting with new technologies, and rethinking how transparency can be built into every layer of the ecosystem.
For founders and teams growing in this space, our biggest takeaway is simple: stay curious, stay collaborative, and don’t wait for a perfect solution — build one.
