Affiliate PPC fraud is a growing problem plaguing every type of digital marketer across every vertical and often lurks undetected until significant damage has been done. This type of fraud involves bad-acting affiliates who use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to siphon off unearned commissions from brands. The deceptive practices range from creating ads that mimic legitimate brand advertisements to using sophisticated techniques like masking referral links through multiple redirects. These ill-intended activities not only increase the cost per click for the brand but they also dilute the effectiveness of genuine affiliate marketing efforts. But the result is always the same: substantial financial drain and a skewed understanding of campaign performance.