What it looks like: Bad actors use paid advertising to

[samiaseo222]

What it looks like : Scammers use stolen credit card information to perform unauthorized app installations, manipulating attribution platforms to claim commissions.
Red flags : An increase in app installs that doesn't correspond to true user engagement or conversions, or installs that can be traced back to suspicious sources, could be indicative of this type of fraud. PPC Fraud inappropriately drive traffic through affiliate links.

This can include bidding on restricted branded cayman islands mobile database keywords or creating ads that link directly to affiliate tracking URLs without permission.

Offenders use these strategies to siphon commissions from genuine traffic or to inflate the costs of the brand’s legitimate advertising campaigns.
Red flags to watch out for: There are several things to keep in mind...
Unexpected traffic sources : If your analytics show incoming traffic coming from paid sources like Google Ads or Bing Ads, where affiliates are typically restricted from advertising, this could be a sign of PPC fraud.

Increased costs : A sudden increase in cost per click (CPC) for your branded keywords may indicate that affiliates are competing for the same keywords, which is often prohibited in affiliate agreements.
Anomalous conversion patterns : Seeing conversions that don't match the typical user journey or that have unusually high or low conversion rates compared to affiliate-driven organic traffic could suggest that manipulative tactics are being used.

If you're involved in affiliate marketing, these types of fraud can have devastating effects. As a merchant, you may end up paying for clicks that don't actually increase sales, or face unnecessary expenses that threaten your bottom line. Additionally, affiliate partners could be unfairly blamed or penalized for the black hat behavior of scammers.