I run affiliate programs for my businesses, none of which have a box for coupon codes when you sign up. Despite that, nearly every day new coupon sites sign up for the affiliate program.
They usually have a webpage full of "coupon codes" offering discounts that don't exist made up, ready to add the referral link to. I remove all these sites from the program, some leave the pages up anyway.
Even coupons.com has a page for my business with several "Click to Save" buttons that do nothing. They're publicly traded as well.
Some of the sneakier coupon sites will put up other, competing products that do have affiliate programs to try and flip people into a product where they get paid.
Comments
What you're describing is cookie stuffing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookie_stuffing). People have been prosecuted over this: http://www.businessinsider.com/ebay-the-fbi-shawn-hogan-and-.... I'm surprised about your claims that a public company would be doing this.
I run affiliate programs for my businesses, none of which have a box for coupon codes when you sign up. Despite that, nearly every day new coupon sites sign up for the affiliate program.
They usually have a webpage full of "coupon codes" offering discounts that don't exist made up, ready to add the referral link to. I remove all these sites from the program, some leave the pages up anyway.
Even coupons.com has a page for my business with several "Click to Save" buttons that do nothing. They're publicly traded as well.
Some of the sneakier coupon sites will put up other, competing products that do have affiliate programs to try and flip people into a product where they get paid.