Google Beats Bid for Class Action Status in AdWords Fraud Case

Alphabet Inc.'s Google dodged class action litigation over fraud claims involving its AdWorks business, when a federal judge in San Jose, Calif., ruled that the advertiser leading the case raised too many issues unlikely to affect other customers.

Judge Beth Labson Freeman denied a bid to certify the case as a class action late Monday, reducing Google’s legal exposure by orders of magnitude for allegedly exaggerating the percentage of malicious, bogus, or otherwise “invalid” ad “clicks” screened out by AdWorks.

The lead plaintiff, Gurminder Singh, “provided no evidence” that other advertisers relied on alleged misrepresentations “buried” deep on Google’s website, ...