Quote:
Originally Posted by Mutt
all this talk about Zango and other scumware jacking traffic and affiliate codes but other than Will posting screencaps of Zango in action popping the AFF ads I've seen nobody else post any evidence of anything else nefarious happening.
the answer is to get one of your old computers or a very cheap new one and use it to surf the free sites without any anti-virus protection and get infestated with all this shit and then start documenting what happens when u surf free sites and try to join paysites.
|
With all due respect, I have to say that if the programs were even 1% serious about stopping stuff like this, they would have taken the steps themselves a long, long time ago.
The reality is many programs are no longer supporting their affiliates, but instead competing with them and looking for new ways every day to shave another dollar off the affiliates' take. From outrageous check fees, traffic leaks on tours, to "oops, we lost track of your affiliate code on the tour", it has been pretty endless the last 24 months or so.
Toolbars such as Zango, other more malicious spyware / malwares, and outright end user PC hijacks are a normal part of the business these days. Many of the programs operate these sorts of things themselves, and profit from them, often stealing sales directly from their affiliates.
Almost the only true high volume spammers are run in conjunction with the programs themselves, and they often use zombie PCs to do their mailings to make it hard to trace back.
What these program owners don't realize is that they are making it way too obvious now. They stand out.