Rogue Affiliates Arouse FTC Interest

According to a number of emails I’ve received over the last 2 days, it looks like some affiliates are stretching the truth (OK, preying on the desperate) when it comes to promoting ‘government grant’ offers. Apparently they’re suggesting that the business opportunities offers they promote are somehow connected with President Obama’s federal stimulus fund package.

Here’s the email I got from the Offeratti network.

An issue of the utmost importance has been brought to our attention and we felt it important enough to make all of our valued Publishers aware of it. Currently the Federal Trade Commission has been on the rampage pursuing government grants sites and any website or campaign that claims to help a consumer qualify for a share of federal stimulus funds or recovery package money.

We at Offeratti are committed to maintaining all of our offers in a Federally compliant manner. To that end, we need to remind all of our Publishers that if they are making false claims or statements to the effect that any of our programs can or will assist a consumer in receiving the aforementioned Federal recovery funds. While we do not maintain any “government grants” offers that have been
specifically targeted by the FTC, we understand that some Publishers may blur the line in an attempt to encourage sales. Our Biz Opp offers are not in any way to be connected with the Federal recovery package.

Publishers who do not follow these guidelines will be removed from the Program and their commissions will be forfeited.

All Offeratti Network Publishers must comply with the guidelines that are outlined at www.ftc.gov.

Please ensure that any advertisements you might use which are not already approved by your Affiliate Manager, are submitted for approval. Use of non-approved creatives, text ads and emails is grounds for dismissal from the Program.

While we love President Barack Obama and the spirit he has enlivened in the American people, we do not want to mislead any consumers into thinking that our campaigns are anything other than Work From
Home opportunites and not a way to participate in the Federal recovery funds.

Note especially the lines “Use of non-approved creatives, text ads and emails is grounds for dismissal from the Program” and “Publishers who do not follow these guidelines will be removed from the Program and their commissions will be forfeited“.

Quite frankly, I hope every affiliate that stooped that low is found, stripped of their commissions and never allowed to join another network or program. Not only do they give our industry as a whole a bad name, but they make merchants’ and managers’ lives difficult for having to souse them out to protect their brands and decrease creative marketing options for reputable affiliate marketers.

Boo! Hiss!!