Do I have to use the link that CJ provides me to receive commission ?

it only provides you with those funky looking links.

If I'm marketing on a Q/A forum I don't want to have to use a damn link shortener or my own website (which makes it look really spammy)

here's an example of what the funky looking address for a product takes me to:
http://www.cheapoair.com/travel/tra...=38545&FpSub=&AID=10657151&PID=3965872&CJSID=

Don't bother going there its only to show you what I mean. If you look at the entire URL I just posted above, would I receive commission if a someone went there and made a purchase / lead.

Again, its only to show you what I mean. You already know what a booking website looks like.

In other words, I would like to use the link I posted above to market such a product rather than something like http://www.tkqlhce.com/erferlkmerklgmerkgerkl which looks suspicious or too obvious I'm an affiliate.

with the first link I posted, they might overlook the affiliate code in the url or at least they know which site they will be taken to without getting concerned.

 

Hello from a fellow Minneapolis resident

Yes, CJ requires you to use their links, and links are specific to the websites that you post them to. Check your Invalid Links section and you'll see if any aren't within guidelines.

A url shortener (your own would be best) or a redirect script can be helpful sometimes.