Global Study: Fueled by AI, CTV Fraud Schemes Surge 140% Globally
NEW YORK, May 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DoubleVerify ("DV") (NYSE:DV), the leading software platform to verify media quality, optimize ad performance and prove campaign outcomes, today released its 2026 Global Insights report, Must-CTV: Streaming's Shift From Promise to Performance. The insights are based on proprietary DV measurement data spanning billions of impressions from DV-protected campaigns and controlled tests where protection controls were not applied. The report also includes surveys of more than 2,000 marketers and 22,000 consumers in over 20 global markets.
A core finding from the research shows how AI is fueling more sophisticated fraud, with connected TV (CTV) schemes accelerating worldwide. DV detected 140% more CTV fraud schemes and variants in Q1 2026 compared with Q1 2025, underscoring how fraudsters are using advanced tools to scale and create more complex operations.
"CTV is attracting premium spend and bad actors right along with it," said Gilit Saporta, VP, Fraud Lab at DoubleVerify. "Our research shows fraudsters are quick to exploit inefficiencies in the ecosystem, using AI and limited transparency to siphon value from advertisers, with tactics that vary by market. Brands need to get ahead of it by eliminating low-quality impressions and focusing investment on inventory with a real chance to perform."
Additional findings from DV's report demonstrate how rapidly fraud is scaling across CTV:
- Persistent bot activity: DV uncovered 50+ distinct CTV bot attacks and variants in 2025 alone.
- Explosive growth in fraudulent apps: DV identified 10x more fraudulent CTV apps in 2025 vs. 2024.
- Significant financial impact: In unprotected campaigns, even at conservative estimates, fraud can cost advertisers approximately $1.8 million per billion CTV impressions served. With trillions of CTV impressions served each year, these losses add up quickly.
Notably, CTV fraud is not uniform across markets. Bot fraud uses software to imitate real users, while data center fraud comes from centralized servers generating high volumes of non-human traffic. In North America, bot fraud made up 82% of violations, while data center traffic dominated in APAC (98%), EMEA (66%) and LATAM (91%). The regional variation signals that fraudsters are adapting tactics by market, reinforcing the need for tailored approaches.
DV's research also challenges a common assumption in the market: that buying CTV inventory through direct deals or private marketplaces (PMPs) inherently reduces fraud. DV found bot activity in multiple direct CTV buys from major global advertisers. In one consumer healthcare campaign, 34% of impressions went to bots, compared with 25% in a major CPG campaign—both in direct deals.
"There's a perception that direct deals in CTV are fraud-free, but that's not the case as fraud always finds a way," Saporta added. "It can exist anywhere inventory is bought and sold. Without independent verification and proactive protections, advertisers risk paying premium prices for impressions that deliver no real value."
DV's analysis shows a clear divide between protected (with verification controls) and unprotected environments. In DV-protected CTV campaigns, fraud rates were less than 1%, compared with nearly 9% in unprotected campaigns. As fraud grows more sophisticated, effective protection is not optional, but foundational to performance.
Additionally, DV found that fewer than one-quarter (21%) of advertisers measure CTV performance using invalid traffic (IVT) or fraud detection as a KPI. While fraud prevention is not a direct measure of performance, it plays a critical role in enabling it. Fraudulent impressions have no chance to drive outcomes, and exposure to low-quality inventory limits campaign effectiveness. By identifying and avoiding invalid traffic, advertisers can shift investment toward high-quality impressions with real potential to perform—strengthening both media efficiency and overall campaign results.
DV launched DV Authentic Streaming TV™ in January, combining verification and optimization to deliver granular pre-bid discovery, AI-powered activation and unified measurement across streaming TV and CTV. The solution helps brands avoid low-quality impressions, focus spend on high-performing, contextually relevant inventory and drive measurable outcomes.
Must-CTV: Streaming's Shift From Promise to Performance, the first of DV's 2026 Global Insights reports, is now available. To receive the report and additional findings as they are published, sign up here: https://doubleverify.com/lp/report/ctv/verify/2026-dv-global-insights-streaming-tv
About DoubleVerify
DoubleVerify ("DV") (NYSE:DV) is the industry's leading media effectiveness platform that leverages AI to drive superior outcomes for global brands. By powering media efficiency and performance, DV strengthens the online advertising ecosystem, preserving the fair value exchange between buyers and sellers of digital media. Learn more at www.doubleverify.com.
Chris Harihar
646-535-9475
chris@crenshawcomm.com
