Affiliate scammer at work

[mhdoc]

Starting a couple of days ago I started getting calls asking for some name I had never heard of. What I have since figured out is that someone using the name Edgar Stanic has apparently claimed one of my websites is his when he signed up for multiple affiliate networks. His registration details are a mix of invalid information from my whois records. He is using a gmail address with a user name that matches my domain name.

I don't believe any of my accounts have been hacked and the website is simple html with no affiliate ads of any kind.

I keep wondering if I am missing something and if anyone has suggestions for shutting this guy down.

 

[FitLike?]

If he has signed up for any affiliate programs where the payment method is cheque only, then surely he would have used his real postal address.

 

[happyhappy]

I would keep an eye on your personal information... I would email or call the companies he signed up with to see what is going on and tell them that those are your sites and he is using your info in bad faith. Then make your whois private.

 

[shaelheart]

Then make your whois private.

This is precisely the paramount reason why I evacuated my domains to Namecheap.com from Godaddy because Namecheap offers an absolutely FREE whois privacy protection, while Godday is charging it at $8 plus a year.

 

[TestCase]

This is precisely the paramount reason why I evacuated my domains to Namecheap.com from Godaddy because Namecheap offers an absolutely FREE whois privacy protection, while Godday is charging it at $8 plus a year.

Errrmmmm... you may want to take another look in to this. I believe the whois at NC is free the first year of a new reg, after that you have to purchase a renewal of the whois (I think if you buy a package of 5 whois, it works out to less than $2 ea.).

 

[mhdoc]

From what I can tell, the affiliate companies have learned they have to call and verify things. I have heard from five now. I also posted a warning in big red letters on the home page of the site he referenced.

I have no way of knowing who he may have signed up with until they try to contact me.

Privacy protection no doubt makes sense in some cases but I have 1,000+ domains...

Thanks for the responses.

 

[Coop]

It's amazing to me that someone would sign up using your information. Anyone that has signed up to a network before would surely know that most affiliate networks call you to verify the information. I'm assuming that he is an affiliate who intends to promote offers in fraudulent ways and is hoping for that one network that does not call.

 

[happyhappy]

Yes I understand having more than 5 domains.. esp when you are working with 1000 plus domains and you are just trying to do your work online and someone rips your personal contact info. Maybe reg a business with business name and put that information in there... even if it is a DBA with a P.O. Box address... hope this works out for ya

From what I can tell, the affiliate companies have learned they have to call and verify things. I have heard from five now. I also posted a warning in big red letters on the home page of the site he referenced.

I have no way of knowing who he may have signed up with until they try to contact me.

Privacy protection no doubt makes sense in some cases but I have 1,000+ domains...

Thanks for the responses.

 

[OffersDirectADS]

Our company OffersDirectADS also has such problem. It is a lot of Fraud accounts new affiliates. They use another's sites for registration. It is very sad. Fraud it is always calculated. Swindlers only spend vainly and another's time.

 

[5starAffiliates]

If he has signed up for any affiliate programs where the payment method is cheque only, then surely he would have used his real postal address.

I was a victim of this type of fraud 3 years ago before so many networks started doing phone verification. I'm highly regarded in the industry for them to pretend they owned 5 Star Affiliate Programs, then commit fraud in my good name, just really upset me. They used all my Whois info including mailing address and my actual name and even an email address from my domain.

What they do to get paid is after they are approved and shortly before a check is due they change the mailing address. In my case they changed it to a mail forwarding service 5 minutes from my house so it would not look fishy.

It was a HUGE CHINESE FRAUD RING with mail forwarding services set up all over the US.

I got the local mail forwarding service to cooperate with me and hold all their mail for a month while I tried to get the FBI involved to no avail. Then they returned all the mail to the senders. They got checks made out to a TON of people's names from a TON of different networks.

Many networks still don't do phone verification so that's why these guys are still trying to pull this stuff. Sorry it happened to you mhdoc.

 

[RogueWriter]

Linda-

What I find amazing is that people would go to that length and effort to be evil, when with a little hard work, they could develop legitimate, honest-based wealth.

 

[5starAffiliates]

RogueWriter, so true! I agree.

 

[thebutler]

Phone calls

Now I see the reason behind those phone calls. Makes sense.

 

[rickyvogas]

I got the local mail forwarding service to cooperate with me and hold all their mail for a month while I tried to get the FBI involved to no avail. Then they returned all the mail to the senders. They got checks made out to a TON of people's names from a TON of different networks.

 

[brucemendes]

An agreement that binds you and the merchant together gives you the permission to market the products of the merchant and to have your share in the profits on the sales made.The products of the merchant can be marketed in numerous ways, however the links that took consumers to their website will be specially coded that states you have been responsible for this consumer and so for this you get paid by the merchant.Things mentioned above feel great and are also true and you can be successful if you agree upon this because affiliate marketing is the simplest way to earn money online.There are also different types of affiliate marketing programs that require different things.