Fraud Review
How Spark! screens creator link clicks for bots and click farms, and the checks you run before you approve a creator or pay a commission.
Last updated: 2026-10-19
Most creators are honest. The few who aren't usually try one of three things: fake clicks, ordering through their own link, or buying with a stolen card and refunding later. Spark! screens clicks in the background, and gives you three points where you decide: who joins, what you check, and when money goes out.
Automatic click checks
Every click on a creator's link is checked in the background for signs it isn't a real shopper:
- Bots: a missing or very short browser signature, or one that names a crawler, script or headless browser.
- Rapid clicks: 10 or more clicks on the same link from the same IP address within a minute.
- Repeated devices: the same device clicking again and again within a day.
- Hidden locations: VPNs, proxies and data-center networks, and a click whose location doesn't match the one claimed.
- Impossible travel: clicks from places too far apart for the time between them.
- Traffic exchanges: clicks referred by free-traffic, click-exchange and auto-surf sites.
Each flagged click gets a risk score from 0 to 100 and the reason it was flagged. Creators can see the flagged clicks on their own links in the creator portal, under Analytics, without the visitors' private details. That alone stops most click padding: creators know their traffic is watched.
Click checks don't remove commissions on their own. Commission is only ever earned by a real order, so fake clicks with no orders cost you nothing. The decisions about orders and payouts are yours, below.
Decide who joins
Under Spark! > Partners > Settings > Program, turn off Approve new creators automatically. New sign-ups then wait for you. Open each one from Spark! > Partners to see their company, tax residence, address, primary region and how they promote, and click Approve only when they fit.
Watch for self-referrals
Spark! credits the order to whoever's link was clicked, so a creator who buys through their own link earns on it. When you review orders, look out for ones where the creator's name, email or address matches the customer's, and settle it with the creator before you pay if your program terms don't allow it.
Review before you pay
Before you mark a payout paid
- Open the creator and look at Total orders, Sales and Commission. A sudden spike from a new creator is worth a look.
- Check their orders under Spark! > Partners > Orders for repeat customers, shared addresses or many orders in a few minutes.
- Wait out your return window. Refunds lower commission automatically, and refunds after payment become clawbacks.
- Only then click Mark as paid.
Stop a creator
On the creator's page, click Disable affiliate. They can no longer sign in to the creator portal. You can Enable them again later. To stop their links crediting new orders, delete the links under Tracking links as well. If you dispute their orders, hold off on Create payout until it's settled.
FAQ
Do fake clicks cost me money?
No. Spark! pays commission on credited orders, not on clicks, so a click with no order earns nothing.
Can coupon sites steal credit with a creator's code?
No. A code typed with no click isn't credited to anyone. See Discount codes.
Next Steps
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