affiliate scam

[Ali-v-8]

Hi guys and girls.
Would like to do a quick check with everyone.
I recently looked at clients PPC campaign and found a cheeky little scam.

The guy had joined an affiliate scheme, but the sneaky little buggers were advertising under his company name.

What this meant was that existing clients that were aware of his company name would search for him, clicks would result in a sale and the company would end up paying an affiliate fee for nothing.

What can be done about this?
Simply forbid the company doing the affiliate campaign advertising on your brand name.

[OldWelshGuy]

This is why most affiliate companies have strict what terms you are not allowed to bid on.

[deadgoodundies]

Happens all the time.
What you need to do is check our clients programme terms and conditions to make sure that doing what is described above is against the PPC T&C of the programme.
If it hasn't been done make sure it's changed to include it and message all affiliates that PPC activity brand bidding on the name should cease within 14 days.
Those that don't stop doing it follow up by getting the network to send them a email as well, if they still don't stop doing it then boot them off the programme.

It's happened to me several times and I booted off the offender but the thing is that even though they were booted I was still getting the click thrus to our site VIA the PPC but the affiliate was denied the commission (so I was getting traffic for nothing)