Sub-affiliate fraud starts before the click: vet partners with this checklist

Sub-affiliate fraud starts before the click: vet partners with this checklist

Sub-affiliates can hide low-quality traffic behind a clean manager account. Before approval, record their traffic model, channels, GEOs, placements, domains, and apps. “Multiple sources” is not enough; you need a path from click to publisher.

Require:
— a click or sub-ID on every conversion;
— named sources, not “mixed” or “direct”;
— volume estimates tied to prior performance;
— raw click, placement, and conversion data.
Disclosure must come before launch, not after a suspicious spike.

Start with a capped test and review placement-level data. Flag duplicate device patterns, implausible click-to-conversion timing, sudden GEO shifts, repeated creative IDs, or conversions packed into a narrow window. Compare their report with your logs; a mismatch means pause and investigate.

Write the boundaries clearly: no unapproved incentives, trademark bidding, forced redirects, cookie dropping without a qualifying click, or undisclosed sub-affiliates. Keep a scorecard of warnings, pauses, and fixes.

Scale only after the traffic is traceable. A smaller transparent partner base is easier to protect—and gives honest affiliates clear rules to follow.