Scam Emails, SEO “Deals,” and the Ghost of the Nigerian Prince — Affiliate Markete

byJDenesovych

838 followers

6 months ago

It’s 2025. AI can write full novels, your dog probably has a smartwatch, and somehow, scammers are STILL trying to steal your info through fake PDFs and SEO “offers.”

In the last week alone, here’s a taste of what hit my inbox:

• A mysterious “Kaia” begging me to DocuSign a contract booking request from lightningbull.com (nope, not a Marvel character, I checked).
• Zena, the ever-so-helpful SEO consultant, promising 1st rank on every search engine ever created — including platforms where SEO doesn’t even apply (Pinterest, really Zena?).
• And then there’s Menka Verma. Sweet, persistent Menka. Her subject lines still echo in my head: “# 1st page on Google..!!” with more exclamation marks than actual proof.

Oh, and yes — I’ve seen “Review Document: jeremy.pdf” more times than my own Google Docs lately. 🙄

Flashback to the Nigerian Prince…

Remember that infamous email or fax back in the early 2000s?

“Dear Sir, I am a Nigerian prince who needs your help to move $25 million…”

Back then, it was so ridiculous it was almost charming. But here’s the kicker: these scams evolved. They dress up in SEO clothing now, or hide behind fake Docusign links and broken English with urgency-laced demands.

And guess who they’re targeting?

👉 Affiliate marketers. Online business owners. Nomads like you and me.

Because we’re always online, always networking, and always clicking — whether it’s for outreach, content creation, or brand management. We’re ripe for the picking.

Why This Affects Our Affiliate Flow

Every fake email slows us down.
Every “SEO offer” makes someone second guess their strategies.
Every contact form spam takes attention away from our real conversions.

I don’t know about you, but I spend more time deleting spam than I do checking real affiliate program responses. Heck, even my contact forms get hit — and no, I don’t want a quote on your AI-generated logo package, Rajeev.

Let’s Talk Solutions (and Laughs)

I want to hear from you:

• Do YOU get these same types of emails and messages?
• What’s the weirdest one you’ve ever received?
• Do you use any special tools to block them out?
• Ever fallen for one early in your online journey?

Drop your reply below — let’s compile a “Spam Wall of Shame” and help some of the newer folks in the WA community spot these shady patterns before they lose time or worse, get phished.

Quick Affiliate Safety Tips

Here’s how I handle this nonsense:

• ✅ Never open random attachments (especially those named “jeremy.pdf” — that’s personal).
• ✅ Use email filters and CAPTCHA protections on contact forms.
• ✅ Vet SEO services — if they promise “#1 on Google,” they’re likely selling snake oil.
• ✅ If it feels shady, trust your gut. No reputable company sends contracts with no context at 3:04 AM.

Let’s hear your stories. Let’s laugh, vent, and educate — because the war against scammers is a community sport now.
And to Kaia, Zena, and Menka?

I’m not clicking your links. I’m clicking “Report Spam.”
Go scam a rock.