Affiliate frauds occur when dishonest partners use fake leads, bot traffic, or manipulated conversions to earn unearned commissions. These practices drain marketing budgets, distort performance data, and undermine the trust and efficiency of affiliate programs.

Search Engine Land has published a new guide, ‘Unmasking affiliate fraud: Protecting growth in 2026’.

says, “Affiliate marketing drives billions in sales – and billions more in hidden losses.

Brand bidding, ad hijacking, coupon abuse, and more subtle forms of affiliate fraud can quietly drain ROI and distort attribution.

For performance leaders, the question isn’t if this happens, but how much you’re already losing.

This article breaks down the most common types of affiliate marketing fraud and shows how modern monitoring tools like Bluepear help brands protect growth, reputation, and spend through smarter affiliate fraud detection strategies.

Why affiliate programs are under threat

Not all affiliate programs are created equal – and neither are their incentives.

In SaaS especially, affiliate commissions can reach 20% to 70%, making the channel both profitable and highly attractive to fraudsters. The higher the reward, the stronger the temptation to bend the rules.”

Unmasking affiliate fraud: Protecting growth in 2026

Search Engine Land

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