subject: Diagnosing and preventing Affiliate Frauds and Scams [print this page] The materialization of the Internet has brought new opportunities for businesses, allowing them to reach new market segments and niches all over the globe that would have been intangible otherwise. Fairly, the boosting engine of online businesses is affiliate marketing. However, merchants nowadays are confronted with a type of scam known as affiliate fraud.
While Affiliate linkages have the technology and know-how to fight affiliate fraud, individual merchants might not be aware of the phenomenon. And so let us take a closer look on this matter.
Let us get to know what is Affiliate Fraud?
Affiliate fraud is any type of prohibited activity designed with the intention of cheating merchants, other affiliates or buyers. The merchants are at a loss by fraud affiliates that mislead them into paying commissions that they shouldn't be paying.
The extent of such practices ranges from repeated clicks on income-generating links of CPC (cost-per-click) programs to using sophisticated software that will simulate human activity.
Now, how are we going to diagnose Affiliate Fraud and What to do to prevent it?
If you already have an affiliate program already, and you notice that things are not going the way you they should be, then maybe it's time to do some research. Here are some of the signs and symptoms specific to affiliate fraud.
Spamming- this is what we hate so much, spam mails. Affiliate Networks forbid this one and take drastic measures against spamming affiliates, including having their account banned. That is why if the affiliate repeatedly sends out spam messages chances are they are illegal.
Fake clicks or recommendations- this is about generating false clicks and transactions.
Compelling affiliates to do a specification or description- fraud affiliates are using tricks and force visitors into doing something that will bring those commissions.
Prohibited transactions- such as using stolen credit cards, registering with fake identifications and the like.
Traffic diverting Parasites- this is the term used in referring to fraudsters who used dirty tactics in diverting traffic to their sites instead of going to a legitimate sites.
Now that we know how to diagnose frauds in affiliate marketing, let's see how we can prevent this from happening. Here are some of the ways:
Outsource your affiliate marketing to an affiliate network.
Or you can use some of the most common screening techniques in place, such as checking if the affiliate has an active Web site, checking if the site's content relates to what you're selling, checking if the affiliate's site is optimized accordingly for the above mentioned content and keeping in touch regularly with the affiliate.
Affiliate marketing is a sure way to earn money online but you should also be very keen in taking the things mentioned above into consideration. Grab the most up to date and legitimate way and strategies in starting affiliate marketing at
