cashback Sites

GandalfDDUK

Hi, just getting into this cashback site joining and noticed that a lot of them have the same layout/content, ie ecashback, britishrewards, myshoppingrewards, greasypalm, freefivers etc, just wondered if anyone knew where they all get there data from and is it a ready made site, just add your own graphics, any info would be much appreciated.

On a side note I see that UKMoneyback have paid out and shut down.

crossleydd42

Whether they are, some seem more generous than other, such as Rpoints & Greasypalm. Quidco seems to be in a league of its own.

Amba_Gambla

yes, they all go through an affilliate site such as tradedoubler.

with quidco, you get all the cash that they are paid by tradedoubler (mius your annual fee)

HLK

Another question re cashback sites - I've had trouble with using Quidco & topcashback with very few transactions tracking. I have been posting on both of their main threads and getting quite frustrated with the whole process. To cut a long story short I have followed all their suggestions but stil having problems.

Can anyone tell me - I'm using spywareblaster and under the IE tab there is a check box 'prevent ad/tracking cookies' - I normally have this checked - should I take this off ? If so, does that mean basically I am leaving myself open to malware attack in order to get some cashback ?

HLK

Bump - can anyone comment on my question above about - malware v cashback?

Poppycat

I have problems with Currys and two transaction from Quidco.

I dont bother with Dealtime anymore as they dont pay and yes I done anything even using a different browser (opera) only for cashback sites, and clean cookies.

HLK why not use firefox much better than IE. I also recommend using ewido
http://www.ewido.net

HLK

Poppycat
Thanks - I use ewido as well as avast antispyware, spywareblaster etc ad nauseum. Is there any point though trying to protect yourself from spyware/malware if you have to turn all your protection of for maybe the promise of some cashback. My experience so far of both Quidco and topcashback has been pretty ropey - it seems everytime I complain one or two really low value transactions mystically appear but my larger purchases (from £200 to over £1200) just don't track.
For example I chose Zurich insurance because with the cashback it was better than other quoted - guess what the £90 cashback didsn't appear.. when i raised this with TCB suddently a couple of dealtime trans appeared ?! Same with Quidco - signerd up to blockbusters .. raised it as an issue and suddendly a highstreetweb appears.

Must be me - obviously..being paranoid..

rant over

GreenNotM

Hi HLK

Yes you need the full tracking cookies enabled.

Cookies as cookies are not malware, they are just a way of the site owners knowing which pc's have been on their sites before, what items you have looked at, importantly for cashback sites where/what site you came from and also what sites you go to from that site. For example - It is how amazon knows what books you have looked at, when you return to amazon a few days later.

This info is not stored on your pc but by cross referencing your cookies id with the database of cookies they have issued to visiting pc's. When you clear your cookies the site does not know it is you, that is visiting again. If you block the cookies the site cannot track your progress on the site, so they do not know who to pay the cashback to.

But that is why you can clear your cookies and do the paid to search sites on several cash back sites in one day.

Hope that explains why you need cookies on - I won't go into how malware gets on to your pc.

GreenNotM

Hi HLK

Just seen your reply to Poppycat - it is not all your protection you are turning off - cookies just have a bad rep - they are not malware or spyware as per keyloggers and phished sites. They just enable e-commerce and ads to work on the internet.

HLK

Thanks GreenNotM - I don't know if you use spywareblaster but if you untick the box for ad tracking - all sorts of activex stuff gets unchecked as well like 'bomka trojan' and various diallers.. now I did a quick google on them and no way...
Thanks for your input though - I would just like quidco et al to be specific about what they want you to switch on.. dunno if you saw my post to them via the tvlicensing cookie..?

GreenNotM

HLK

I have not used spywareblaster but ...

Turn off your activeX downloads in IE Options or set it to ask.

Alot of malware comes from dodgy sites/hacked shareware/freebies/email attchments....

Spybot says this about ActiveX
"ActiveX Dictionary
ActiveX is a Microsoft technology that allows Internet applications that are more powerful than simple scripts. ActiveX applications do only work in Internet Explorer, so the use of ActiveX on web sites is not recommended. Due to the huge amount of influence ActiveX applications can have on the system (ActiveX applications have access to the same files you have access to, meaning all files in the case of most private computers), it is recommended to be very careful if dealing with ActiveX.

There are two types of ActiveX applications - signed and unsigned. The code of unsigned ActiveX applications hasn't been certified and should never be trusted. Signed ActiveX applications are certified, but can still contain malicious code! Signed ActiveX applications should only be trusted if they come from trusted web sites and only on a prompt base (meaning that Internet Explorer settings will ask every time a web site wants to load an ActiveX application).

Many dialers and hijackers install themselves using ActiveX applications.
"

So you turn off all activeX downloads completely - you do not need spywareblaster to do this.
Also look at setting the account that you use to access the internet to guest status - by just putting it in the guest group and taking it out of all the other admin, super user groups. Before You do this ensure you know the "administrator"'s password. If ur account you normaly use is in admin you can change it - before you become non-admin.
Also you need to ensure that you have your comp disk formatted as NTFS for "guest" status to work effectively.