Why is SOMEONE ELSE'S affiliate id on my clickbank page?!!!

[Steve36]

Hello,

I redirected my affiliate page the other day. Everything seemed fine. Except on the clickbank page was my old clickbank ID.

I couldn't understand why-so I asked on the WF yesterday. I was told it might be because of cookies. So I cleared my cookies and tried again...

Now I have SOMEONE ELSES affiliate ID on my clickbank page!

I don't know if this is recent or not. I'm a newbie and have only made a couple of sales in the last month.

It seems like it is redirecting from my redirect.

Can anyone help please?

[Tony Dean]

Have you tried using just the raw Hoplink and check the id at the bottom of the Clickbank order form?

If this check finds that it is not your id, you have a virus on your computer redirecting any Hoplinks to another id.

[PhilJL]

Clickbank is using cookies to assign the affiliate.
Here's how you can find out where it comes from:
- Remove all your cookies and set your browser to 'Ask before accepting cookies' (In Opera it is on the Tools->Preferences->Cookies panel)
- Got to the sales page the usual way. The browser will popup everytime a new cookie is set. Accept and check where the Clickbank cookie comes from.
It usually is cloaked link on someones page.

[Steve36]

Thanks for the quick replies.

I cleared the cookies and typed in the address of my redirected domain. (the one that redirects to my affiiliate product.

But the other persons id still showed up!

PhilJL I'm looking for something that says 'ask before accepting cookines' but I am not used to using a mac yet.
(EDIT: I don't think I have a 'prompt befor accepting cookies' option my computer.)

Is it something I've downloaded?

[Steve36]

Thanks Tony Dean,

So it looks like I have a virus, how can I get rid of it? i can't afford to buy anything.

Can I just delte everything I have downloaded one by one, each time checking the id-to see what it was that caused it?

Thank you,

Steve

I am losing money, and I can't even afford to pay my bills

[Tony Dean]

Many people have similar viruses over the years on their computers, this problem has been around for a long time. Whenever you connect to the internet from a computer it is a must to have anti-viral software!
I visit many sites I see listed in Google and the site is trying to download trojans at me!! My anti-viral stops them dead. Many 'FREE' toolbars contain this virus which hijacks affiliate links on other users computers, and if they try and buy a product, the affiliate link has been swapped for another one, buyers will not notice this though, it's just the genuine affiliate gets robbed!

Ok, enough said about anti-viral - just go to TRENDMICRO.COM and do a free scan from their end, it takes a while but it will find anything on your computer. I would not be surprised at 50 or more viruses if you do not have anti-vral software running on your computer.

Good luck in cleaning that lot off!

[cherylwright]

I understood Macs couldn't get viruses. Is that not correct?





Cheryl

[Stallion]

I understood Macs couldn't get viruses. Is that not correct?

Of course that's not correct. The reason macs and linux don't have viruses (that you know of) is that they make up such a small demographic that it isn't worth the time of virus makers. Virus makers have a motive of getting as many computers as possible.

The reason windows is known as a system that gets viruses is due to the fact that it is the big major player on most computers. It has nothing to do with Windows as an operating system.

[Ken Leatherman]

Stallion that is an interesting theory. Do you happen to have research that supports your theory. I honestly would like to learn more about the subject.

Thanks,

Ken Leatherman
The Old Geezer

[rosetrees]

Originally Posted by Ken Leatherman

Stallion that is an interesting theory. Do you happen to have research that supports your theory.

That's my understanding too - and what I tell my clients with Macs.

The ID issue is why I left Clickbank. I used to sell products of my own there. If I clicked on links I often saw something like affiliate= CBKing (it wasn't exactly that, but something like that and there were two of them).

I contacted CB who explained that an affiliate cookie must somehow have made it's way onto my computer. My products weren't in the marketplace and didn't have affiliates.

It was obvious (to me, at least!) that the affiliate ID name told a story of underhand dealings. Underhand dealings that CB chose to ignore. Instead of trying to address the problem they tried to make out it was my fault.

[Don Schenk]

Ken, I've heard the same thing Stallion mentioned, but I've only heard it from Mac users.

:-Don

[MisterMunch]

Remember to inform clickbank about the affiliate who is using viruses to make profits from them. I bet he would just change the ID, but at least he would get a little problem.

They should have some address on him.

[davezan]

Originally Posted by Ken Leatherman

Stallion that is an interesting theory. Do you happen to have research that supports your theory. I honestly would like to learn more about the subject.

It was discussed here before, Ken. But here's two to keep you busy:

Macintosh Viruses and Mac Virus Resources

Mac-Specific Virus Threat Hits Cyberspace - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News - FOXNews.com

Originally Posted by rosetrees

It was obvious (to me, at least!) that the affiliate ID name told a story of underhand dealings. Underhand dealings that CB chose to ignore. Instead of trying to address the problem they tried to make out it was my fault.

I rather doubt they chose to ignore that issue, or tried to make out it was your fault. Especially the latter,
that only creates a lot of unnecessary ill will.

Only problem is how can Clickbank prevent others from putting stuff into users' computers they hardly can
control.

[Floyd Fisher]

Originally Posted by Steve36

Thanks Tony Dean,

So it looks like I have a virus, how can I get rid of it? i can't afford to buy anything.

Can I just delte everything I have downloaded one by one, each time checking the id-to see what it was that caused it?

Thank you,

Steve

I am losing money, and I can't even afford to pay my bills

Try this:

HouseCall - Trend Micro USA

[rosetrees]

I've been searching through my old emails to see if I can find the ones from CB. I can't find them - I might have been using an old web-based email address.

I did find a post I made here at the time. The affiliate IDs were "fishcatch" and "CBBoss". Interesting, don't you think?

This is part of CB's reply, requoted from that old thread:

It appears that you have clicked through that affiliate's hoplink at one point. After a cookie has been deposited on a system, a referral will still continue to be tracked after the initial click through. That way, if a customer purchases from that publisher's site up to 60 days later, the affiliate will still receive the commission.

As I tried to explain to CB at the time - there were no affiliates (or if there were, I was totally unaware of them) and the product only appeared on my own blog. There is absolutely no way that I could have clicked on an affiliate link as I was totally unaware that any existed (if they did).

[Jason Green]

Sounds like a good old case of BlueFart COOKIE STUFFING crossed with a virus.

Cookie Stuffing is a good earner, there are certain BlueFart forums out there that don't allow speaking about the subject until you become a sort of elite member by posting a certain amount of posts, getting a certain reputation, being referred and being reviewed.

Jason

edit - the forum changed my words! wow! lol. I said b-l-a-c-k-ha-t and it said bluefart lol

edit2 - Cookie stuffing is essentially where a person injects his cookie into your pc. It is blackhat and is unethical. I'm not sure if Warriorforum allows talking about such things so I'll warn you now, cookie stuffing can get you banned from your aff accounts.

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by rosetrees

It was obvious (to me, at least!) that the affiliate ID name told a story of underhand dealings. Underhand dealings that CB chose to ignore. Instead of trying to address the problem they tried to make out it was my fault.

Very typical, I'm afraid: this is the whole problem of dealing with Clickbank.

If they didn't keep going into "denial syndrome" and "blame mode" all the time, and from time to time offered something that at least pretended to pass for "customer service", people would be so much more willing to forgive all their tracking failures and other problems. But unfortunately (for Clickbank) the reality is that when they're not, it's simply because of Clickbank's own behavior.

[CDarklock]

Originally Posted by Ken Leatherman

Do you happen to have research that supports your theory.

First ever virus for Mac OS X discovered

Check the timeline on the right-hand side.

[Steve36]

I am running the Trendmicro.com scanner.

The thing is, if I clear my cookies and go to the 'order form' then the other affiliate id is shown. But if I navigate away from the page and then go back, my id is shown. BUT it's my old id, NOT the one I used for my redirect on the godaddy domain.

Doesn't make sense to me

Thanks for the the info posted about malware ect.

Steven

[kkchoon]

Originally Posted by Steve36

I am running the Trendmicro.com scanner.

The thing is, if I clear my cookies and go to the 'order form' then the other affiliate id is shown. But if I navigate away from the page and then go back, my id is shown. BUT it's my old id, NOT the one I used for my redirect on the godaddy domain.

Doesn't make sense to me

Thanks for the the info posted about malware ect.

Steven

Seems like the truth is revealing soon...!

[Steve36]

I didn't have any luck with trend micro, It didn't seem to be doing anything for 2 hours.

Is their anything else I can use for a mac?

I think I remember downloading something...and it asking for my password to install.

[seasoned]

Originally Posted by Ken Leatherman

Stallion that is an interesting theory. Do you happen to have research that supports your theory. I honestly would like to learn more about the subject.

Thanks,

Ken Leatherman
The Old Geezer

Ken,

Windows has a LOT of design flaws. Contrary to belief and propaganda, it was made to be a LOW security single user NON networked system! That lead to LOTS of problems! Version 3.11 added remedial networking. Vista probably added some REMEDIAL user security. They tried to remove SOME of the security problems with XPSP2! Remember THAT fiasco? They don't DARE fix ALL the OBVIOUS security problems, If they did, a LOT of things would break(WORSE than SP2), and a lot of people would have to redo websites.

So it has LOTS of problems. Will Windows 7 be better? I DOUBT IT!

Still, there have been too many bugs that had NOTHING to do with Client that make it unlikely the Mac CLIENT is IMMUNE! UNIX was not made to do some things the HTTP server is made to do, and they are written and installed by almost ANYONE! So the server is almost GUARANTEED to have problems, on ANY system.

Steve

[cherylwright]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

edit - the forum changed my words! wow! lol. I said b-l-a-c-k-ha-t and it said bluefart lol

I've had the same thing happen. It seems like some sort of automated word-changing is in place.



Cheryl

[LilBlackDress]

Originally Posted by Tony Dean

Many people have similar viruses over the years on their computers, this problem has been around for a long time. Whenever you connect to the internet from a computer it is a must to have anti-viral software!
I visit many sites I see listed in Google and the site is trying to download trojans at me!! My anti-viral stops them dead. Many 'FREE' toolbars contain this virus which hijacks affiliate links on other users computers, and if they try and buy a product, the affiliate link has been swapped for another one, buyers will not notice this though, it's just the genuine affiliate gets robbed!

Ok, enough said about anti-viral - just go to TRENDMICRO.COM and do a free scan from their end, it takes a while but it will find anything on your computer. I would not be surprised at 50 or more viruses if you do not have anti-vral software running on your computer.

Good luck in cleaning that lot off!

What anti virus software do you like?

[cherylwright]

Originally Posted by Stallion

Of course that's not correct. The reason macs and linux don't have viruses (that you know of) is that they make up such a small demographic that it isn't worth the time of virus makers. Virus makers have a motive of getting as many computers as possible.

The reason windows is known as a system that gets viruses is due to the fact that it is the big major player on most computers. It has nothing to do with Windows as an operating system.

Your response is derogatory. Saying 'of course that's not correct' - and even just using the words 'of course' - puts down the person you are addressing.

Had I known that was the case, do you think I would have asked the question?

Of course not!!

I can't vouch for anywhere else, but in Australia Mac have a series of adverts on the tv that say Macs can't get viruses. And they're the manufacturers!





Cheryl





Cheryl

[thunderbird]

Originally Posted by Stallion

Of course that's not correct. Virus makers have a motive of getting as many computers as possible.

Their motive is to sell their antivirus programs (source: an investigative journalist I know).

[Adam Carn]

It would help if we had a look at the affiliate page, or is that not allowed?

Adam

[Steve36]

Sorry, my niche is TOP SECRET

Seriously, I am too protective of my niche/pride and joy.

Which...I know, doesn't help matters.

Is there anything specific I can find out?

[Tony Dean]

If no luck with trendmicro go check Google for "Spybot Search And Destroy" it is a free program and runs fast enough.

The anti-viral I use is said to be the best in the world, even outclassing Norton, and others. It's Kaspersky Anti-Viral and cost about $80 and each year you pay about $40. It will catch anything and everything!

[DogScout]

1st, there are Mac trojans that operate quite quietly in the backgound. Because no anti-virus knows how to find them doesn't mean they aren't there. For the past couple of years a good trojan guy can make a killing off Macs. Just as we think no one makes them, so do the anti-virus guys think that way. they won't spend a lot of time on them which leaves 5-6 % of the population wide open to a clever builder. Much more than he/she would get by building a virus that gets shut down in a few days on a PC.
Funny, but Windows 95 is the preferred OP sys for building Mac trojans. Lol.

Micro trend used to be good, not so sure anymore. I been thru them all and seems like they are all resource hogs or can't find anything, even though it is there. For a firewall, only one has never been hacked successfully, I assume the same holds true of anti-virus programs. Once apon a time, free ones were as good as pay ones. Now Panda's free scan is as good as any of them. (IMO)

[bretski]

Originally Posted by Don Schenk

Ken, I've heard the same thing Stallion mentioned, but I've only heard it from Mac users.

:-Don

It's not a theory. It's a fact. If someone is going to write a program, whether it be a legitimate program to do some type of legitimate work or a virus or worm, they're going to write to so it is compatible with most operating systems. Windows is the most popular operating system that is used by most people who surf the web with Internet Explorer being the most popular web browser which is why most most malicious code is written for MS IE. Same thing with people who are into hacking websites and databases...they'll go for the low hanging fruit and try to exploit known security flaws in IE, MSSQL (databases) and IIE (websites)...and look for computers that don't have antivirus or patches for known exploits.

This is why it's important to keep your stuff patched by running updates (windows update if you run windows...open internet explorer and click on tools up top and then "windows update") and have an antivirus program with up to date definitions.

[seasoned]

Originally Posted by cherylwright

Your response is derogatory. Saying 'of course that's not correct' - and even just using the words 'of course' - puts down the person you are addressing.

Had I known that was the case, do you think I would have asked the question?

Of course not!!

I can't vouch for anywhere else, but in Australia Mac have a series of adverts on the tv that say Macs can't get viruses. And they're the manufacturers!





Cheryl





Cheryl

Apple makes *****MACS*****! They are COMPUTERS!!!!! They are ***NOT*** the manufacturers, of computer viruses.

I have NEVER heard them say they didn't have viruses or trojans. They simply said they didn't have NEARLY as many.

Being computers, Apple could NEVER have so much control as to say that such contagion could never happen.

Steve

[bretski]

Originally Posted by Tony Dean

If no luck with trendmicro go check Google for "Spybot Search And Destroy" it is a free program and runs fast enough.

The anti-viral I use is said to be the best in the world, even outclassing Norton, and others. It's Kaspersky Anti-Viral and cost about $80 and each year you pay about $40. It will catch anything and everything!

MalwareBytes is pretty good and I've used to clean off some nasty stuff from end users pc's at work ("oh I wasn't looking at porn!"...ummmm, yes you were)...there is another one that I've used too to clean some nasty stuff that malwarebytes couldn't...

I agree with what the gentleman from No Va above said though...a good custom built root kit is going to be pretty much undetectable since it's not going to fit into the signature of any known virus' or trojans...a heuturistic scan might pick it up but if it's cleverly disguised enough an end user might just assume that it's a valid program...making it look like a part of the operating system or an adobe product is a clever trick that I've seen before.

[DogScout]

Originally Posted by bretski

It's not a theory. It's a fact. If someone is going to write a program, whether it be a legitimate program to do some type of legitimate work or a virus or worm, they're going to write to so it is compatible with most operating systems. Windows is the most popular operating system that is used by most people who surf the web with Internet Explorer being the most popular web browser which is why most most malicious code is written for MS IE. Same thing with people who are into hacking websites and databases...they'll go for the low hanging fruit and try to exploit known security flaws in IE, MSSQL (databases) and IIE (websites)...and look for computers that don't have antivirus or patches for known exploits.

This is why it's important to keep your stuff patched by running updates (windows update if you run windows...open internet explorer and click on tools up top and then "windows update") and have an antivirus program with up to date definitions.

I know a little of Mac Trojan makers that would disagree with you.
beitasitmay,

[DogScout]

Also,
Spyboy fights spyware mostly
anti-virus is a completely different animal

[DogScout]

If Google can make side wiki on my sites

anyone can make a cookie stuffer or other re-dericter on a landing page...
ANY landing page

all you have to do it live in your mom's basement, eat poptarts and coffee 3 times a day (coffee 6 times) and laundry the cash through the Ukraine.

[blur]

Wow.

Mac does have viruses, but not in the number that Windows does. Mac OSX is now built off of a variant of Linux which is known for it's security (as an option over windows).

Have you tried looking at the website in different browsers or on different computers? What plugins do you have installed in your browser? What programs are running in the background? How many of your clickbank sites are affected by this? Do you know of any other CB sites that are NOT your own in which the numbers are being changed? Did you clear your cache? Have you adjusted your browser so it can't run javascript files? Disabled your cache? What is your website powered with (wordpress, joomla, straight HTML) and what plugins are installed? Have you done a google search for the hop number that is hijacking yours?

There are so many things you can do to narrow this down to specifics with out going straight for the virus excuse it isn't funny.

These are all just common sense things to do before you get into rootkits, malware, and all the other 'nasties' out there. Narrow it down to what it is that is doing it.

Check the site in another browser (after all, for mac you should have Safari installed and at least be running Firefox and opera for website compatibility).

If it's messed up in all the browsers then go to another computer and look at your site. If it's not messed up on another computer then you know it's isolated.

If it's messed up on all the computers then you know it's not on the client side, but at the website level.

Turn off all plugins for your site then look (if running a blog/cms)

Simple Javascript can scan the HTML code and do a find and replace (via regular expression) for the hop link number and replace it. If turning off the plugins don't work then try to do a sitewide search in the code for the hoplink number that is replacing yours, this should let you know what's hilacking your site.

Chances are this isn't happening ONLY to you. Report the hoplink to CB. Also do a search in google for the hoplink number - chances are someone has already experienced and fixed this.

Also - On the mac for the firefox browser you can install the web development toolbar to block caching and cookies from the site. This is also just good toolbar to have for web dev...

Before you jump on the virus train, look around a bit.

[Steve36]

Thanks for trying to help.

I have tried in another computer/browser-the other id is still there.(windows)
Tried emptying cache-no luck
This my only site so can't check if others are infected...could it be my clickbank id and password were hacked or something. (noob)
I have no pluggins installed on my browser. (that I'm aware of)
I have 20 programs running on my at the moment, I don't know what to look for though.
I have turned java off, on my browser-still no luck

I reported it to CB 24 hours ago.

searching on google for 'wargamez clickbank id theft' doesn't show anything that seems helpful, I will keep searching though.

I will try turning off the pluggins now.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Originally Posted by blur

Wow.


Have you tried looking at the website in different browsers or on different computers?
What plugins do you have installed in your browser? What programs are running in the background? How many of your clickbank sites are affected by this? Do you know of any other CB sites that are NOT your own in which the numbers are being changed? Did you clear your cache? Have you adjusted your browser so it can't run javascript files? Disabled your cache? What is your website powered with (wordpress, joomla, straight HTML) and what plugins are installed? Have you done a google search for the hop number that is hijacking yours?

There are so many things you can do to narrow this down to specifics with out going straight for the virus excuse it isn't funny.

These are all just common sense things to do before you get into rootkits, malware, and all the other 'nasties' out there. Narrow it down to what it is that is doing it.

Check the site in another browser (after all, for mac you should have Safari installed and at least be running Firefox and opera for website compatibility).

If it's messed up in all the browsers then go to another computer and look at your site. If it's not messed up on another computer then you know it's isolated.

If it's messed up on all the computers then you know it's not on the client side, but at the website level.

Turn off all plugins for your site then look (if running a blog/cms)

Simple Javascript can scan the HTML code and do a find and replace (via regular expression) for the hop link number and replace it. If turning off the plugins don't work then try to do a sitewide search in the code for the hoplink number that is replacing yours, this should let you know what's hilacking your site.

Chances are this isn't happening ONLY to you. Report the hoplink to CB. Also do a search in google for the hoplink number - chances are someone has already experienced and fixed this.

Also - On the mac for the firefox browser you can install the web development toolbar to block caching and cookies from the site. This is also just good toolbar to have for web dev...

Before you jump on the virus train, look around a bit.

[Steve36]

Turned off all pluggins. The wargamez id is still there.

When I click through the product to the clickkbank sales age, the clickbank page loads...the 'flashes,' I think it is redirecting. Because it says,

https://ssl.clickbank.net/order/orde...item=1&detail=

(I have changed the numbers)

[Floyd Fisher]

Originally Posted by Steve36

Turned off all pluggins. The wargamez id is still there.

When I click through the product to the clickkbank sales age, the clickbank page loads...the 'flashes,' I think it is redirecting. Because it says,

https://ssl.clickbank.net/order/orde...item=1&detail=

(I have changed the numbers)

The only thing I got is the following:

This product is no longer for sale or has been disabled due to a terms of service violation

Look, if you want help, you gotta give us the info to work with. Otherwise you need to take your mac to the Apple Store, and get help at the genius bar.

[Harvey Segal]

Originally Posted by Steve36

I have tried in another computer/browser-the other id is still there.(windows)

I'm not an expert with these spyware type problems but
I would have thought this shows that your problem is caused
by site infection as opposed to PC spyware.

So the site infection is either

1. At your redirecting site. Try the raw hoplink as suggested above
to prove this.

OR

2. At the vendor site. Due to hacking OR deliberate
manipulation by the vendor

Harvey


.

[Steve36]

Originally Posted by Floyd Fisher

The only thing I got is the following:

This product is no longer for sale or has been disabled due to a terms of service violation

Look, if you want help, you gotta give us the info to work with. Otherwise you need to take your mac to the Apple Store, and get help at the genius bar.

I would lose more money by giving away my niche. It's not the weight loss niche or aything like that. I know what your saying though, it's not helping me solve the problem.

Sorry.

But thanks anyway.

Steve

[Steve36]

Originally Posted by Harvey.Segal

I'm not an expert with these spyware type problems but
I would have thought this shows that your problem is caused
by site infection as opposed to PC spyware.

So the site infection is either

1. At your redirecting site. Try the raw hoplink as suggested above
to prove this.

OR

2. At the vendor site. Due to hacking OR deliberate
manipulation by the vendor

Harvey


.

That makes sense.

I typed in my clickbank raw hoplink of the product page (I have two CB accounts.) Both have the other persons id when I click through the product to the order form. The same thing happens.

[Harvey Segal]

Originally Posted by Steve36

That makes sense.
I typed in my clickbank raw hoplink of the product page (I have two CB accounts.) Both have the other persons id when I click through the product to the order form. The same thing happens.

Therefore the problem is at the vendor site.

Either a deliberate manipulation (maybe every so often) to an id of his own
OR
His site has been hacked.

(I think)

Harvey


.

[Steve36]

Whatever it is, i need to get this sorted asap.

I have looked at the other sites that are selling the product and I can't find anyone else with the same problem.

[Floyd Fisher]

Originally Posted by Steve36

I would lose more money by giving away my niche. It's not the weight loss niche or aything like that. I know what your saying though, it's not helping me solve the problem.

Sorry.

But thanks anyway.

Steve

Steve:

I'm not mad at you in the least.

I'm just not a psychic.

[kkchoon]

Originally Posted by seasoned

Ken,

So it has LOTS of problems. Will Windows 7 be better? I DOUBT IT!

Windows 7 is the best Windows ever, even Linus Torvalds give it a big thumb up!

Linus Torvalds gives Windows 7 a big thumbs up