Stealing Affiliate $ Parasiteware

Does anyone know of any way to protect your affiliate links from others stealing your commissions? I have done a little research on this but I have not been able to actually find something that will protect my affiliate links from having their affiliate ID replaced by a parasite.

http://www.parasiteware.com/
ParasiteWare™ - is technology (including, but not restricted to, browser helpers, browser plug-ins, toolbars and pop ups/sliders) that knowingly or unknowingly undermines or removes another affiliate's ability to compete by changing, intercepting or redirecting an affiliate link. Parasiteware™ may be installed knowingly or unknowingly by the end user, altering their normal web browser functions and/or installing a third party application that works through the user's altered browser.

Hi Gail,

Hope you don't mind, but I am answering your PM here in the hopes it will help others.

There are so many different kinds of cooties and they all can act somewhat differently. If I knew the best one that worked for everything I would tell you but I don't.

The best thing is to study and stay tuned to the ParasiteWare forum - especially the "Blocking Tips/Advice/scripts" thread http://abw.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfr...979&f=591608789

Read about the &afsrc=1 script. I dont hear much about it any more, but at one time it was supposed to help in certain cases.

Wish I had better answers. I keep parasites out of my 13 programs so they can't steal from my other affiliates = but I am not an expert on the subject.

How? :-?

Parasites can only steal your commissions if the merchant has them as affiliates. So you can avoid parasites by partnering with parasite-free merchants. You can find many parasite free merchants on ABW. If you look for ones that have the ABW approved merchant seal under thier name, like I do, they are usually pretty safe. Most of the ABW merchants that have forums try to stear clear of parasites.

HOW? Well I know who the parasites are and don't approve them for my programs. Sometimes they sneak in by changing their name or something, so it's a constant battle to try to catch them. Whenever I find a new one I cancel them and report them to other merchants, the network and ABW. If they aren't in my program they can't steal your commissions.

Hope this helps explain it.

Have there been any cases of these people being prosecuted? It is theft and fraud - pure and simple. Why isn't anyone turning these people in?

Linda-

How could a merchant get the list of know parasites? And, how could a merchant spot a new one? If this involves joining your program, how does a merchant go about joining your network?

egol,

Not that I know of, but I wish! The problem is similar to Gator in that the argument is many times - who owns the desk top. I fa surfer chooses to dowload a toolbar for instance, that alerts him to rebates then the law views that as the surfers choice. The surfer could care less if you get your commish and doesn't even know what's going on.

Gail - a pretty compehensive list can be found on the the links I already posted. New ones are hard to catch. The easiest way is if a merchant notices an affiliate is suddenly making a ton of sales out of nowhere - they need to check the site. If the affiliate has any type of toolbar for shopping, reminders, coupons then they MAY be overwriting affiliate links but NOT always. Also parasites can go in & out of compliance sometimes they will be good for awhile and then start over-writing links again.
I wish I could tell you more but there is no easy answer.

My 5 Star Site is not really a network. Merchants pay me to promote them and I am EXTREMELY selective about who I accept. I only work with honest merchants who pay higher commission than most and meet several other criteria. If you have a merchant that you feel has an OUTSTANDING program you can have them call me for a free consult.

If you just want to educate a merchant about parasites, you really just need to get them to study and read ABW. They have to be committed to fair partnerships OVER revenue, because parasites can bring in big sales to a merchant. They need to be convinced that treating regular affiliates right will outweigh the money they would make through the parasites.

I don't understand how a parasite can bring in big money. Aren't they just really taking a commission that would have gone to another affiliate? So the overall income for the merchant is really the same?

Gail -

I see it as a simple equation.

a+b=<<$4U

where
a= parasite software

b= a dishonest affiliate manager, on the take!

Ok, so we are talking about 2 things...

One, an affiliate manager on the take.

Two, an affiliate manager who is not on the take and is just trying to catch the parasite affiliates.

Speaking of the affiliate manager who is trying to catch the parasite...

I did look and surf through http://abw.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfr...979&f=591608789 to find the list of known parasites. Right, the list is there and instructions on getting rid of them. Thanks.

What I really mean to ask before, is not the list of parasites but the list of NAMES of the actual people who sign up for the affiliate programs. Who are they? BarginBuddy, ASpam, AutoSearch etc. don't sign-up for affiliate programs. Some individual has to sign-up and receive a check. The affiliate programs on your list do not allow these people to become affiliates. What are the names of these people?

The names of these people and documentation should be given over to criminal investigation. What they are doing is dishonest, period.

Affiliate programs who allow this to happen are in the same category as those who write the scumware....

.... also appealing to their business sense... affiliate programs will do much better if the people who actually do the work receive the reward. These folks are not dumb... they will watch their ROI and take their #1 rankings to other programs or other products - perhaps on the same keyword that they already know so well. They will be competitors instead of partners.

:::::::I don't understand how a parasite can bring in big money. Aren't they just really taking a commission that would have gone to another affiliate?

Yah, that's exactly what they do. They take money from other affiliate's. They change the URL to there own code.

They might have a couple of half-*** sites up... just to look legit. A few sales might be honestly earned.

Linda...

Can you share with us the list of NAMES of the actual parasite people who sign up for the affiliate programs. Who are they? BarginBuddy, ASpam, AutoSearch etc. don't sign-up for affiliate programs. Some individual has to sign-up and receive a check. The affiliate programs on your list do not allow these people to become affiliates. What are the names of these people?