Getting started with CB - Security/Hacking questions..

I've seen several references to jacking CB accounts or stealing IDs, etc.

I wanted to place a few CB ads on my blog, but wondered what general precautions are wise to take?

When linking, all I have to do is provide the correct hoplink with my affID, right?

I wasn't sure if it was more complicated than this if I wasn't going through AdWords or something.

Should any precautions be taken before linking to merchants? Should I disguise my hoplink?

 

If you sell in the Internet MArketing niche, some savvy marketers will replace your clickbank name with theirs.

example: Your URL is http://YOURNAME.hop.clickbank.net, he just need to rplace YOURNAME with HISNAME, and he get the comission.

In other markets, people don't know what is a hoplink or clickbank, but it's still better to cloak your affiliate link with a redirect, I was doing it with framed redirect, but now I use PHP. It's much better.

Also, a redirected link has a better look, and more people will click. Some people don't like the idea that they give someone a commission.

Your best bet is to get a new domain domain name and edirect, but you will do fine with PHP.

 

Thanks Franck,

How could someone replace cb names though? It seems to me that to change that, you'd need access to their web server, right?

 

explain how for a noobie?

 

I'm sure a google for "php redirect" would give ya some great tutorials

I know in cold fusion it's:

<cflocation url="newurl">

Code (markup):

php/asp may be a bit more involved, but it's a pretty simple task usually

 

php redirect

you can also use mouse overs to disguise your link to internet explorer visitors

 

Hey Mistergin,

In this case, we're just referring to replacing CB names in the link.

So, instead of the link being

youraffID.coolaffiliate.hop.clickbank.net

the person (obviously another CB affiliate) says oh, it's a CB product, I can buy it myself, and just types in

theiraffID.coolaffiliate.hop.clickbank.net

However, this really only applies to other people with a clickbank account - how many people purchasing say, dog training, golf tips, or the ever popular real estate finder, know that Clickbank has an affiliate program that they could sign up for to gain a discount on the product?

Otherwise, no need to worry, as there's no way for other people to "steal" your ID or your commissions.

-T

 

Ah, I see...

Couldn't they still do it after they arrive at the merchant page?

For example on one blog this link is posted for novel software:

http://www.creativitysoftware.net/clickbank/newnovelist/index.html?hop=XXXXXXX

I took out their hopid, but even when I got there, I wonder if I could just replace the url variable there?

That's an even more extreme example, but I don't see any other way to hide that other than to load it in an frame so you can hide the url?

 

Nope, can't replace the URL variable. See Clickbank FAQ: https://www.clickbank.com/hoplink_faq.html#hoplink_question_24

Otherwise, if you're selling make money or IM products, there are ways to go about cloaking the link, but not being one who does it (aside from the my-linker tracking I use to help track sales), I wouldn't really know.

-T

 

Ah perfect! In that case a simple redirect would seem to resolve any issues

Thanks bud!

 

Yep - no problem

-T