Does WPStatistics use curl in a way that could count as user visits?

Hi @adamengst

No, we do not use such an approach.

Please let us know which version of the plugin you are using, and if the plugin is not up-to-date, please update it to the latest version. We have made several improvements in the latest version regarding bot detection, etc.

Also, please check if the bot detection settings in Settings – Filtering & Exceptions have been configured correctly.

You can also enable the Log Record Exclusions option in the same section to record the statistics of bot detection, etc.

I hope this helps you. Please let me know if you need any further assistance.
Regards,