DoubleVerify 'Uncovers Video Ad Impression Fraud'

Online media checking firm DoubleVerify claims to have uncovered an online video ad impression laundering scheme, involving more than 500 sites and impacting over 1% of all video ad impressions across the Internet.

DoubleVerify's software checks that ads are placed above the online 'fold' - specifically, that 50% or more of an ad is seen in the browser window for at least one second. Earlier this year, the firm was granted a new patent for its dual-verification technology, which authenticates the effectiveness of a digital ad impression, both before and after an ad is served.

According to the company, impression laundering conceals the actual URL where an ad appears, by using 'front sites' that pretend to be legitimate publishers, in a market where DoubleVerify says that ad rates typically command ten times the price of an online display ad. Findings of research conducted by the firm have shown that these front sites are rerouting video ad placements through multiple layers of ad serving URLs, in order to mask the actual URL where the video ad is delivered.

CEO Wayne Gattinella (pictured) comments: 'URL masking is designed to mislead the online marketplace and we're now seeing this bait and switch ad fraud quickly moving to online video. At DV we're actively protecting our clients with strong, scalable technology that provides the transparency necessary to drive more video ad dollars online.'

Web site: www.doubleverify.com .