What is a rejection postback?
A rejection postback is the handling of a flagged install's postback so that it is not reported as a normal conversion. In practice the platform either withholds the postback, suppresses it, or sends a rejection signal. The term is not used consistently across the industry, so it is best read as the practice of withholding or suppressing postbacks for flagged installs.
How it differs from a normal postback
- Normal postback: a postback confirms an install or event to an ad network, which counts it as a conversion and uses it to optimise.
- Rejection or withheld postback: the confirmation is not sent, or is sent as a rejection, so the install is not counted as a valid conversion by that network.
- Scope: some platforms also hold back later events from a flagged install. Check how yours behaves.
Why it matters
- Protects bidding algorithms: networks learn from the conversions they receive. Keeping fraudulent installs out stops them shaping future targeting.
- Protects reporting: network dashboards are not inflated by installs you have already flagged.
- Helps partner disputes: with some affiliate partners, a rejection signal can stop a payout being triggered, depending on the partner's setup.
Rejection postback versus pre-attribution rejection
These are different things. A rejection postback acts on what is sent to the network after the install is flagged. Pre-attribution fraud rejection acts earlier, on whether the install is credited at all. A platform can withhold postbacks without changing attribution.
A simple example
A source sends installs that all open seconds after the click. A rule flags them, and their postbacks are withheld. The ad network never receives those conversions, so its bidding does not treat that traffic as a success.
Things to verify
- Which fraud rules trigger it, and whether it is automatic or opt in.
- Whether later events from a flagged install are also withheld.
- Whether you can review what was withheld, with reasons.
- How install fraud detection rules are tuned to limit false positives.
How Linkrunner does this
In Fraud Control, each rule can respond with Tag only, or Tag and withhold postbacks. Attribution is never changed in either case, and Fraud Control is included on every plan.