Affiliate Fraud: What You Need to Know
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:48 am
Affiliate fraud takes many different forms. Some of the most common types are:
Click Fraud
What it looks like : You may notice an unusual spike in clicks without a corresponding increase in conversions, or you may notice a high number of clicks coming from suspicious or irrelevant sources.
With click fraud, fraudsters can flood pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns with fraudulent or invalid clicks, often through bots or artificial activity that uses software to simulate real users.
Warning signs : Watch for irregular traffic db to data for trusted database source company patterns, such as clicks arriving at odd hours or from the same IP addresses in rapid succession.
Typosquatting
What it looks like : This refers to the hijacking of a URL similar to a company name. In this case, scammers create domain names that are visually similar to those of a legitimate brand, capturing diverted traffic.
Red flags : Monitor domains that closely mimic your brand URL and use tools that alert you to new domain registrations that may be trying to siphon off your traffic.
Traffic diversion
What it looks like : Scammers can use what are known as “parasite sites” to steal traffic from a legitimate affiliate site.
Legitimate affiliate traffic is then redirected to another site, often through malware or deceptive links that mislead the user.
Warning signs : Sudden drops in traffic from trusted affiliate links or complaints from users about being redirected unexpectedly can be telltale signs.
Cookie filling
How it works : Various affiliate cookies are placed on a user's browser without their knowledge, leading to false commission claims.
Browser cookies allow for the tracking of affiliate referrals. Fraudulent affiliates can then place various cookies on a visitor's browser to earn commission if and when that customer ends up making a purchase.
Red flags : Unusually high conversion rates that don't match your traffic or sales patterns could indicate cookie stuffing, especially if customers say they don't visit those affiliate sites.
Click Fraud
What it looks like : You may notice an unusual spike in clicks without a corresponding increase in conversions, or you may notice a high number of clicks coming from suspicious or irrelevant sources.
With click fraud, fraudsters can flood pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns with fraudulent or invalid clicks, often through bots or artificial activity that uses software to simulate real users.
Warning signs : Watch for irregular traffic db to data for trusted database source company patterns, such as clicks arriving at odd hours or from the same IP addresses in rapid succession.
Typosquatting
What it looks like : This refers to the hijacking of a URL similar to a company name. In this case, scammers create domain names that are visually similar to those of a legitimate brand, capturing diverted traffic.
Red flags : Monitor domains that closely mimic your brand URL and use tools that alert you to new domain registrations that may be trying to siphon off your traffic.
Traffic diversion
What it looks like : Scammers can use what are known as “parasite sites” to steal traffic from a legitimate affiliate site.
Legitimate affiliate traffic is then redirected to another site, often through malware or deceptive links that mislead the user.
Warning signs : Sudden drops in traffic from trusted affiliate links or complaints from users about being redirected unexpectedly can be telltale signs.
Cookie filling
How it works : Various affiliate cookies are placed on a user's browser without their knowledge, leading to false commission claims.
Browser cookies allow for the tracking of affiliate referrals. Fraudulent affiliates can then place various cookies on a visitor's browser to earn commission if and when that customer ends up making a purchase.
Red flags : Unusually high conversion rates that don't match your traffic or sales patterns could indicate cookie stuffing, especially if customers say they don't visit those affiliate sites.