Fraud Screening for Fintech Affiliate Programs

Fintech affiliate fraud is worse than other verticals because the payouts are high and the "conversion" is a signup, not a purchase:

• Incentivized clicks — "click my link and I'll send you $5" kills your EPC with non-intent traffic
• Cookie stuffing — hidden iframes claiming conversions the affiliate never drove
• Fake signups — bot-funded accounts to collect CPA bounties
• Brand bidding — paid search on your brand terms cannibalizing organic attribution

Screening checklist:

1. Hold payouts 30–60 days; clawback on churned/refunded accounts
2. Require content URL on application — reject "email list" applications without proof
3. Flag IP clusters and instant-conversion timing (real readers take minutes, not seconds)
4. First-party server-side tracking beats pixels every time

Stock Picks's program screens hard — the payout is honest because the fraud bar is high.