Global fraud prevention program saves advertisers $10.8 billion in digital ad fraud
TAG's impact report reveals record-breaking savings for U.S. advertisers through industry-wide anti-fraud initiatives in 2023.
Digital advertising watchdog TAG (Trustworthy Accountability Group) released its first financial impact analysis, revealing unprecedented success in combating digital ad fraud. According to the report, released on February 9, 2025, collaborative industry efforts saved U.S. advertisers $10.8 billion in 2023 alone.
The analysis, conducted in partnership with the 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies), Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), demonstrates a 92% reduction in losses that would have occurred without established standards and programs in place.
TAG's global presence has expanded significantly, with member organizations now spanning 43 countries. By the end of 2024, 226 companies held at least one TAG certification seal, reflecting the industry's commitment to maintaining high standards of transparency and security.
The organization's Certified Against Fraud (CAF) program achieved notable milestones, with 157 companies receiving certification by year-end. The program's effectiveness is particularly evident in its ability to maintain invalid traffic (IVT) rates below 1% across TAG Certified Channels globally. The U.S. market has sustained this benchmark for four consecutive years, while European operations have maintained it for six years.
In the malvertising sector, TAG's certification program showed steady growth, with 40 companies receiving the Certified Against Malware (CAM) seal in 2024, marking an 8% increase from the previous year. Of these certifications, 75% covered operations across multiple countries, indicating the program's international impact.
The organization's Brand Safety Certified (BSC) program issued 133 seals by the end of 2024, with 48% covering global advertising operations. TAG strengthened its brand safety initiatives through the introduction of the Pirate Domain Exclusion List (PDEL), designed to protect advertisers from inadvertent exposure to pirate sites.
TAG's Data Center IP (DCIP) List identified more than 104 million unique high-risk IP addresses in 2024, providing crucial intelligence for fraud prevention. The tool received eight updates throughout the year, maintaining its effectiveness against emerging threats.
The organization's threat-sharing community expanded its reach to include practitioners from 11 countries across seven time zones, providing 21.5 hours of daily human coverage. The AdSec Threat Exchange recorded a 40% increase in threat-sharing activity compared to 2023, demonstrating enhanced industry collaboration.
In the transparency sector, TAG TrustNet experienced significant growth, now providing campaign data insights to more than 40 brand advertisers. According to the ANA's recent benchmark report, ad spend productivity increased by 22% since its 2023 programmatic transparency study, adding $8.2 billion in value within the $104 billion open web programmatic marketplace.
TAG's certification programs received a significant update in 2024, with enhanced due process guidelines for non-compliance and appeals. Companies found non-compliant with TAG certification requirements may face certification suspension periods ranging from six months to five years, ensuring the maintenance of high industry standards.
The organization released version 2.0 of its Malvertising Taxonomy in April 2024, expanding its scope to include new subcategories and additional techniques such as steganography, browser extensions and hijackers, click-jacking, SEO poisoning, and exploit kits.
Since its inception in 2015, TAG has established itself as the industry's primary defense against fraud and malicious activity. As the first and only Information Sharing and Analysis Organization (ISAO) for digital advertising, designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TAG continues to provide essential tools and frameworks for maintaining the integrity of the digital advertising ecosystem.
The organization's comprehensive approach to industry challenges, combined with its collaborative model and rigorous certification standards, has proven effective in reducing fraud, increasing transparency, and protecting brand safety across the global digital advertising landscape.