On an unprecedented level of fraud that threatens all affiliate programs, BeFree (Reporting Net), Commission Junction, and LinkShare have been implicated in the ever broadening WhenU (SaveNow) fraud scandal. The three affiliate manager networks are refusing to break ties with the illegal hijacking techniques employed by WhenU (SaveNow). Commission Junction actually removed their affiliate BBS when the controversy first broke, rather than allow democratic discourse about it to be publicly available. Requests for an explanation have been met with corporate doubletalk.
The problem first became noticed in November 2001. Many popular freeware programs also install the WhenU (SaveNow) shopping module. Explained as a shopping companion, WhenU (SaveNow) actually tracks all online activity and sends periodic reports via stealth mode. When a surfer goes to a shopping site, a special popup opens that offers the surfer a deep discount. Virtually all of these discounts are illegal (improper repackaging of commerce). Where the outright fraud enters in is that many shoppers have a favorite portal or shopping site. Here at Paocima Ranch, we have our very own Shopping Mall of preapproved merchants. We receive a very small commission (about 6%) from shoppers who are identified as shopping with us. This small commission pays for maintaining the Shopping Mall. Unfortunately, if a surfer is infected with WhenU (SaveNow), and they click the popup for the discount, WhenU (SaveNow) gets credit for the sale, even though the shopper is actually coming from Pacoima Ranch. This violates the stated polices of the three affiliate manager networks (predatory advertising).
Most surfers are unaware that using these coupons is improper (and illegal). They just know they got an extra discount and think it's a special deal from their favorite portal or shopping site. As nearly half the merchants at our Shopping Mall may be involved in this fraud, we will be contacting each one individually during the month of April 2002, and removing all who admit involvement, ignore our request, or can be demonstrated to be actively involved. Due to the sheer size of this scandal, we feel that it may take the full month to make changes. Expect the Shopping Mall to change dramatically over the next two months. About 4 million surfers are infected with WhenU (SaveNow).
Because we feel very strongly about this illegal activity, the News Letter is publishing the lists below. White Hats are merchants who have refused to become involved with WhenU (SaveNow). Black Hats are the clueless lot who are actively involved in this illegal activity. About half the merchants in our Shopping Mall are possible supporters of the WhenU (SaveNow) fraud. Surfers are asked to not accept any deep discounts from WhenU (SaveNow), and to just close the popup should it open. Clicking any link within the WhenU (SaveNow) popup transfers the sale to WhenU (SaveNow).
White Hats (ethical merchants):
- 001toners.com
- 1stBuy.com
- Adconnect.com
- AffiliateFORCE.com
- AffiliateFORCE2002.com
- Ashford.com
- Auctionpage.com
- Avanti-Sport.com
- BabiesOnline.com
- BabySongs.com
- Berries.com
- BlueFly
- CarePackages.com
- CatalogCity
- Christianbook.com
- ClubMom.com
- Computers4Sure
- Crucial.com
- DiscountMagazineRack.com
- ebates.com
- EBGames.com
- eHealthInsurance.com
- Ep.com
- EPage.com
- EuroVacations.com
- Expedia.com
- FamilyPrizes.com
- Fingerhut
- FingerTipShopper.com
- FurnitureFind.com
- Garden Botanica
- Gateway
- Gateway Accessory Store
- GrowerFlowers.com
- Hallmark
- ImprovementsCatalog
- Iomega Corporation
- JC Whitney
- Jos. A Bank
- Junonia.com
- Kaplan Test Prep
- Labf.com
- LeadCrunch.com
- Lens Express
- L.L. Bean
- Milesource.com
- Office Depot
- OneTravel.com
- Patagonia
- PetFoodDirect.com
- Raileurope.com
- REI
- REI Outlet
- SFmusicbox.com
- Spree
- Staples.com
- Thane.com
- Thaneinc.com
- The Popcorn Factory
- TigerDirect.com
- Top3.com
- Tower Records
- Vitacost.com
- YourActivePet
- Yves Rocher USA
- Zappos.com
- Webclothes.com
- Zones, Inc.
Black Hats (unethical merchants):
- 1-800-Flowers
- 1Bookstreet.com
- 800.com
- 999central.com
- Abercrombie.com
- Access Micro
- Adidas.com
- Alibris.com
- Alight.com
- Alloy.com
- Allpets.com
- Amazon.com
- AMDV.com
- American Blind & Wallpaper
- American Eagle
- American Girl
- Ann Taylor
- Apple Store
- Armani Exchange
- Artist Direct Superstore
- AshlaneGiftBaskets
- Audio Book Club
- Autobytel.com
- Avon Shop Online
- BabyAge
- BabyGuess
- Baby's Heaven
- BabyUltimate
- BabyUniverse
- Bally
- Banana Republic
- Barbie Collectibles
- Bare Necessities
- Barewalls.com
- Barnes&Noble.com
- BC Ethic
- Beauty Buys
- Beauty.com
- Bebe.com
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Best Buy
- Beyond.com
- Bisou-Bisou
- Blockbuster
- Bloomingdales
- Bluefly
- Bluemercury
- BlueNile.com
- BMG Music Service
- Books-A-Million
- Boston Proper
- Brooks Brothers
- Brookstone
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Burpee.com
- Buy.com
- Buydig.com/Worldwide Direct
- BuyItOnline
- CameraWorld.com
- CarePackages.com
- CarParts.com
- CarsDirect.com
- CD Now
- CDUniverse
- CDW.com
- Charles David
- Checks Unlimited
- Chiasso
- Cigar.com
- Circuit City
- Clinique
- Coach
- Coldwater Creek
- Colorado Pen Co.
- Columbia House DVD Club
- Columbia House Music Club
- Columbia House Video Club
- ComfortLiving.com
- Company Stores
- Compaq
- CompUSA PC
- CompUSA.com
- Contentville.com
- Cooking.com
- Corbis
- Costco Online
- Crabtree & Evelyn
- Crate & Barrel
- Creative.com
- Crutchfield
- Cufflinks.com
- CVS Pharmacy
- Damark.com
- Dean & Deluca
- Delia's
- Dell.com
- DesignerOutlet.com
- Dicks Sporting Goods
- Dillards
- Discovery Store
- Dishes Direct
- DisneyStore.com
- Dodge Inn Steaks
- Domestications
- Doubleday Bookclub
- Drugstore.com
- Dunham's Sports
- Eastbay Online
- Eastern Mountain Sports
- Ebags.com
- Ebay Store
- ebyweb.com
- eCampus.com
- eCOST.com
- Eddie Bauer
- Egghead
- eHobbies
- eLuxury
- eMusic
- eNews
- Esprit
- Estee Lauder
- estyle.com
- Ethnic Grocer
- eToys
- Etronics
- Express.com
- eZiba.com
- FAO Schwarz
- Fatbrain.com
- Fisher-Price
- Florsheim
- Flowers.com
- FlowerBud
- FogDog Sports
- Food.com
- Footlocker
- Fortunoff.com
- Fossil.com
- FragranceNet.com
- Frederick's of Hollywood
- FTD.com
- FurnitureOnline.com
- Galttech.com
- Games2Learn.com
- Gamestop.com
- Gap
- Gerald Stevens
- Getplugged
- Gevalia Kaffe
- GiftCertificates.com
- Gifts.com
- Girl Shop
- Godiva
- Guess?
- GUESSkids
- Gumps
- Guy Shop
- Gymboree
- Half.com
- Hammacher Schlemmer
- Handspring
- Harry and David
- Herman Miller Red
- Hickory Farms
- Home Visions
- HP Business Store
- Hpshopping.com
- HSN.com
- Ibeauty.com
- Ice.com
- iGadget.com
- iGo.com
- ihomedecor.com
- Illuminations
- IMaternity.com
- Indulge.com
- Insight
- International Male
- Intuit
- Iomegadirect
- iParty.com
- iPrint.com
- Iyou.com
- J&R
- J.Crew
- JC Penney
- just for feet
- JustBalls.com
- KBtoys
- KennethCole.com
- KidsFootlocker
- K-Mart (Bluelightcom)
- K-Swiss
- La Parfumerie
- Lady Footlocker
- Lancome
- Lands' End
- Landscape USA
- Learningco.com
- Levenger
- Lillian Vernon
- linenplace.com
- Literary Guild
- LTD Commodities
- MAC Cosmetics
- Macys.com
- Magazineoutlet.com
- Martha Stewart
- Max Studio
- MCSports
- MicroWarehouse
- Mondera
- MoreAudioVideo.com
- Mrs. Fields
- MuseumCompany.com
- MyMusic.com
- NAPAOnline
- Neiman Marcus
- Netflix
- Netgrocer.com
- Netmarket.com
- NextPlanetOver
- NFL Shop
- Nike Store
- Ninewest.com
- Nintendo Online Store
- Nirvana Chocolates
- NokiaUSA.com
- Nordstrom
- Novica.com
- Nutripeak
- NuttyPutty
- Office Max
- Old Navy
- Omaha Steaks
- OneHanesPlace
- Origins.com
- Orvis.com
- OshKosh Bgosh
- Oshmans
- OurBeginning.com
- OurHouse.com
- Outpost
- Overstock.com
- Pacific Products Gallery
- PacSun.com
- PartsAmerica.com
- Paul Frederick
- Payless Shoe Source
- PC Connection
- PC Flowers & Gifts
- PCMall
- Pebble Beach Golf Shop
- Perfumania.com
- Personal Creations
- Petco.com
- PetsMart.com
- Philosphy.com
- Pier 1 Imports
- Polo
- Popular Link
- Pottery Barn
- Powells.com
- Priceshock.com
- Proflowers.com
- Quality Paperback Book Club
- QVC
- RadioShack
- Rampage.com
- Red Envelope
- Reflect.com
- Restoration Hardware
- Right Start
- RitzCamera.com
- Rockport
- Ross-Simons
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Sam Goody Samsonite
- Sears Wishbook.com
- Sears.com
- Sees.com
- Sephora
- Service Merchandise
- Sharper Image
- Shoebuy.com
- Shoedini.com
- ShopSports.com
- Silhouettes
- Skechers.com
- Skymall.com
- smallflower.com
- SmarterKids.com
- smashbox
- Smith & Hawken
- Sparks.com
- SpaWish.com
- Spencer Gifts
- Spiegel Ultimate Outlet
- Spiegel.com
- Sports Chalet
- Stacks and Stacks
- Staples
- StarBucks
- Steve Madden
- StyleTrek
- Suncoast.com
- Sundial.com
- Sunglass Hut and Watch Station
- Swiss Army Depot
- Symantec
- Szul.com
- Talbots.com
- Target
- Terry's Village
- The Athletes Foot
- The Baby Outlet
- The Company Store
- The Home Marketplace
- The Met Store
- The Sports Authority
- The Sportsman's Guide
- The Swiss Colony
- TheKnot.com
- THEWIZ.com
- Things Remembered
- Tiffany & Company
- Tiger Direct
- Tony & Tina
- Totally Fun Toys
- Tower Records
- Toyopia
- Tucows
- Tupperware.com
- Twisted Gifts
- U Save Gelt
- Uncommon Goods
- Underneath.com
- Urban Outfitters
- UrbanMall
- UrbanQ
- Varsity Books
- Victoria's Secret
- Vine Tree Orchards
- Vitamin Shoppe
- Walgreen's
- Wal-Mart
- WatchZone
- WebClothes
- WebRX
- Wet Seal
- Williams-Sonoma
- WilsonsLeather.com
- Wine.com
- Winebins.com
- Wordsworth.com
- WWF Shopzone
- X10
- Zales
- Zones.co
|
|
