Comments on: Publisher Network Fraud: A Plague on Our Industry http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/ Where Interactive Advertising Begins Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:07:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Russell Rockefeller http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796964 Russell Rockefeller Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:03:04 +0000 http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796964 90% fraud? That sounds way excessive. 10% is more likely. Networks aggressively scrub traffic these days. Either you're working with the wrong networks or your math is off. It's also possible that your product attracts a high rate of fraud attempts or chargebacks and returns. In any case 90% fraud is the exception and not the rule. I think it has to do with what you're promoting because those numbers are very off. Networks are very aggressive about scrubbing traffic and won't keep bad publishers around if the traffic is shady. 90% fraud? That sounds way excessive. 10% is more likely. Networks aggressively scrub traffic these days. Either you’re working with the wrong networks or your math is off. It’s also possible that your product attracts a high rate of fraud attempts or chargebacks and returns. In any case 90% fraud is the exception and not the rule. I think it has to do with what you’re promoting because those numbers are very off. Networks are very aggressive about scrubbing traffic and won’t keep bad publishers around if the traffic is shady.

]]> By: Steven http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796227 Steven Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:57:17 +0000 http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796227 Networks don't care about fraud. End of day they take a whopping 30% or more on each offer in their network. In the old days we had server side pixels which basically allowed to fraud scrub. These days you will not get decent exposure without live pixel tracking. The live pixel tracking is where one of the problems lies. We have offers in with probably 10 networks and see affiliate fraud up to 90%, be it on invite only or public networks. Core causes fraud: -networks demand fast payment, often impossible to track fraud within 15 days window. Stolen credit cards often not reported within this time frame. -networks don't pass on parent referral, creating a system where it's hard to determine if traffic is actually coming from a legit site. -Live pixel tracking invites fraud -Industry demands high CPA. Allowing 'down payment' and e.g. additional payout 30 days later would eliminate a lot of fraud. Networks don’t care about fraud. End of day they take a whopping 30% or more on each offer in their network.

In the old days we had server side pixels which basically allowed to fraud scrub. These days you will not get decent exposure without live pixel tracking.

The live pixel tracking is where one of the problems lies.

We have offers in with probably 10 networks and see affiliate fraud up to 90%, be it on invite only or public networks.

Core causes fraud:
-networks demand fast payment, often impossible to track fraud within 15 days window. Stolen credit cards often not reported within this time frame.
-networks don’t pass on parent referral, creating a system where it’s hard to determine if traffic is actually coming from a legit site.
-Live pixel tracking invites fraud
-Industry demands high CPA. Allowing ‘down payment’ and e.g. additional payout 30 days later would eliminate a lot of fraud.

]]> By: Russell Rockefeller http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796193 Russell Rockefeller Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:51:17 +0000 http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796193 The fraud also hurts good publishers because it's being used as an excuse by advertisers to over scrub traffic. Advertisers play games too. They take down successful offers and come back a month later with a rebrand on the same offer at a lower payout and higher scrub rate The fraud also hurts good publishers because it’s being used as an excuse by advertisers to over scrub traffic. Advertisers play games too. They take down successful offers and come back a month later with a rebrand on the same offer at a lower payout and higher scrub rate

]]> By: Evan http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796190 Evan Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:12:54 +0000 http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-796190 This has been an issue since day 1 in affiliate marketing. Something typically swept under the rug by the networks. "It's not our fault" affiliates produced fraud is usually the stance. Some have technology in place, but it's not good enough at all. Part of the problem is letting too many affiliates in the networks without rigorous screening procedures. And then monitoring new affiliate traffic and sales quality should be a constant effort. Also, the actual merchants/offer-owners should be implementing "new order calls" to verify the purchase or lead authenticity on every affiliate generated order, this ferrets out fraud instantly and the violating affiliate can be terminated. Also, when affiliate payments are processed, merchants can look for new affiliates producing commissions and further investigate each one and their lead/sale quality before checks are mailed. These are but a few suggestions to prevent and manage affiliate fraud. I have been managing affiliates for 8+ years so my comments are based on experience. This has been an issue since day 1 in affiliate marketing. Something typically swept under the rug by the networks. “It’s not our fault” affiliates produced fraud is usually the stance. Some have technology in place, but it’s not good enough at all. Part of the problem is letting too many affiliates in the networks without rigorous screening procedures. And then monitoring new affiliate traffic and sales quality should be a constant effort. Also, the actual merchants/offer-owners should be implementing “new order calls” to verify the purchase or lead authenticity on every affiliate generated order, this ferrets out fraud instantly and the violating affiliate can be terminated. Also, when affiliate payments are processed, merchants can look for new affiliates producing commissions and further investigate each one and their lead/sale quality before checks are mailed. These are but a few suggestions to prevent and manage affiliate fraud. I have been managing affiliates for 8+ years so my comments are based on experience.

]]> By: Iain http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-795954 Iain Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:17:10 +0000 http://www.adotas.com/2009/12/publisher-network-fraud-a-plague-on-our-industry/#comment-795954 You can access a list of affiliates and networks which have delivered high levels of fraud at www.fraudaffiliate.com. Membership is free if you get approved. You can access a list of affiliates and networks which have delivered high levels of fraud at http://www.fraudaffiliate.com. Membership is free if you get approved.

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