Another site is using my Amazon affiliate tracking ID

[shredtone]

I have a site that I used to have a few amazon affiliate links on. The site wasn't really converting very well so I just removed all the affiliate links about 6 months ago.

I recently logged into Amazon to start a new campaign for a different site and noticed I was getting clicks thru with my old tracking code from the site I removed the links from. I even had 8 sales this month!

So I googled my tracking-id and found out that someone has an affiliate site that is running several affiliate programs. I would say that maybe 70% of the affiliate links/ads are for Amazon and every single one is using my tracking id. Why would someone do this? The site is even fairly decent looking.

The site is indexed in Google but they have 0 pagerank and no alexa ranking. I don't think they get much traffic since Ive only had 40 clickthru's in the past 2 months but they seem to convert OK.

First off I'm curious why someone who appears to know what they are doing would add my affiliate id and second what do you think i should do about it?

[Mackin_USA]

"what do you think i should do about it? "

I would CASH THE CHECKS from Amazon and keep an eye on the site.

[brotherhood of LAN]

Agreed... particularly if there aren't any options in your Amazon account to indicate those clicks/sales should be ignored, as it's really out of your control otherwise.

[shredtone]

I'm happy to sit back and take the free commissions. My ONLY real concern is that this person does something against Amazons TOS and gets my account banned. Im deciding if I should contact Amazon or just sit back and keep an eye on it.

[lucy24]

Was that a procedural question or an ethical one?

"I just found $1000 in my personal bank account that I didn't put there. What should I do?"

Answer A: "What are you-- nuts? Spend it, of course!"

Answer B: "At the other end of that $1000 is someone who thought they put money in their own account, and they don't yet realize that it isn't there."

[shredtone]

Was that a procedural question or an ethical one?

I understand what you are saying, but I don't know how this could be a mistake. Surely after 3 months you would notice you have zero click. That's what so puzzling about the whole thing. It almost seems to be done knowingly.

[brotherhood of LAN]

Yes it'd be a big coincidence, perhaps by copying/pasting your code thinking "it works".

It could be that they're trying to jeapordise your Amazon account... but what'd they gain by that?

Does their site have any SEO-type links? It may be they have a network of sites and they're trying to throw the scent off the network by using other people's affiliate codes.

[shredtone]

"Yes it'd be a big coincidence, perhaps by copying/pasting your code thinking "it works". "

No, they are actually using the Amazon API to create ads so they had to enter my ID probably in what ever tool they are using.

[shredtone]

Iv'e done some further sleuthing by looking up their other affiliate ID and found another site they own and both whois match everything 100%. They are definitely not new to affiliate marketing. They are actually also promoting an affiliate program themselves selling an e book.

[onlineleben]

Now is starts to get interesting.
They are on the lookout for affiliates themselves. By using your amazon code they triggered your interest in their site (which caters a niche you are expert in). Your research to find them tells that you care for your web properties and don't just throw up sites full of ads. You are probably a good candidate to promote their ebook.
Give it a try and check what happens to the affiliate links with your code after you have signed up for their program.

OTOH, analyze why they make money with amazon in your niche and maybe adapt the concept.

[Mackin_USA]

I think it is time, if the MODS agree, to OUT these folks.

Who are they?

[piatkow]

Are your ids close enough for it to be a typo? I know that I don't get fresh code from Amazon to link to a new product, I just change the product code on an existing link.

[shredtone]

"They are on the lookout for affiliates themselves."

Actually the ebook is about something totally unrelated and something most people wouldn't be interested in.

"Are your ids close enough for it to be a typo?"

My id is a 2 word phrase. The id is not the same as their domain name. I suppose he could have the same id as me but pluralized. I don't think the site gets much traffic, maybe that's why they haven't noticed if it was a mistake.

[eljefe3]

Perhaps send them a heads up thanking them for sending you sales and then see what their reply is. You might find out why they are doing this in their reply.

[Dinkar]

Surely after 3 months you would notice you have zero click. That's what so puzzling about the whole thing. It almost seems to be done knowingly.

That person may be busy elsewhere / very ill / died.

My story:

I had partnered with one person. The deal was - domain + hosting will be mine and affiliate link will be his. He will get the money and then forward 50% of it to me.

After 4 or 5 months I didn't heard anything from him about how much sale the site has done etc. So I emailed him and got no answer. I kept emailing him but never received any reply.

After 7 months I removed his affiliate link and added my own affiliate. I was expecting his email. But he never emailed me about it... may be he is no more. I don't know anything about his family else I would like to share the profit.

IMO, try to contact him and tell the truth.

[mike2010]

if it ain't broken...don't fix it.

[JonRhodesUK]

I was wondering whether they had been scrapping your content and accidentally included your Amazon links? I like to add some internal links and affiliate links within the body of my content so that if someone scrapes them then at least I get some benefit.

[salesbacklink]

I do not really know what you are talking about. From some of the techniques I learned. There are 30 days cocis stufing often in talking.
Some people in our country using cocis 30 days and there is a use cocis 360 days. And there are uses fanpage and youtube. Where do you come from?

[edited by: skibum at 3:52 am (utc) on Jan 12, 2014]
[edit reason] removed url [/edit]