This year I have already witnessed several scam stories from affiliate networks. The scenario is very similar in all cases. And the worst thing for me is that these scenarios use ready-made engines for creating affiliate networks, including my AlterCPA Cloud. I will tell you about these two cases.
Of course, the crime is always the person’s fault, not the tool’s. No one blames a kitchen knife for murder. However, I feel responsible for what is happening. And I think it’s important to share stories with the general public and give my recommendations, which can save a couple of dozen of your kilobucks.
Current scam scheme from an affiliate network
The first story I learned happened in the spring. She simultaneously got into my personal message, into the Telegram channel neTraff – Gambling and was reposted Partnerkin telegram channel. The affiliate program was GoldenPartners.work.
The scheme is as simple as five cents (like all ingenious schemes). Scammers’ pattern of actions:
- Create an affiliate program using the engine. In all today’s stories, only AlterCPA Cloud appears. I’m not surprised that this is the most popular option: cheap and effective, ideal not only for real businesses, but also for scammers.
- Apply for a buyer vacancy in the Telegram channel.
- Go through an interview, do a test, show your traffic flow skills. Yes, the scheme uses at least one strong arbitrageur.
- The hired affiliate expresses his “fe fu be” about the team’s offers and rates. Offers a cool offer with a high rate to the affiliate network that he previously joined.
- The team gets to know the affiliate network. The usual interface, the usual personal account, the usual help with technical equipment. Managers (scammers) imitate the behavior of employees of a real affiliate; the engine provides a familiar interface and functionality.
- The offer is connected, the buyer (scammer) sends traffic. The team can also transfer other buyers to this offer.
- When a large amount is processed in and the team actively demands payment, the chats and personal account are deleted, the buyer (scammer) also deletes the account, and the entire affiliate network site is soon deleted.
The following story has not gone far into the public eye yet. It happened recently and is in my personal account. The OneLead.CC affiliate program has already been scammed here, and at the same time another one – OneLead.Cloud (we didn’t bother too much with naming, both domains are on my cloud).
The scheme is the same. Bayer offers an offer in an affiliate network familiar to him, traffic flows in, and a large sum accrues. As a result, scammers erase everything: from correspondence to Telegram accounts and the affiliate network website. And the scammers take the payment for conversions for traffic paid for by the team.
It is not known which affiliate program the scammers are integrated with and where the traffic actually goes and at what rate. But it is unlikely that the advertiser or the target affiliate network is affiliated with scammers. Most likely, this is a banal scam resale.
How to avoid getting scammed
There will be no magical recommendations like buying an amulet or asking a wise ball. A simple list of simple things that will simply save you money:
- Check the registration date of the affiliate network domain. The same onelead.cc was registered on May 9, 2023, a couple of weeks before the scam. Already at this stage, the story of the hired buyer about how he sent a lot of traffic into this affiliate program will become an obvious lie.
- If the affiliate network is made on the AlterCPA engine, you can write to me personally, I will tell you if I have any suspicions about the network.
- Do not agree to a long hold period. In the case of onelead.cc, the stated hold was 31 days! Of course, to get as much traffic as possible before the fact of fraud is revealed.
- Do not trust new buyers in choosing affiliate programs and advertisements, at least until the first full payment comes from their traffic.
- Work with proven affiliate networks. Those who have already been targeted, those who have been targeted by trusted acquaintances, media networks with a reputation, or you can see the list of reliable contractors here.
Conclusion
Arbitrage is a scam, let’s leave. Seriously, I’m sorry that my product has become a tool in the hands of scammers. But now you know the pattern, which is far from ideal and with a modest level of caution, you will not fall for it. Following the five simplest safety points from the list above is quite enough.