Originally Posted by signupdamnit

I don't know the full story for this case but affiliate reps should watch out if their employer asks them to basically commit fraud. In some jurisdictions it's possible that falsely claiming payments have been sent in order to get an affiliate to continue sending traffic (a good or service) while having good reason to know that the payment has not and likely never will be sent might be considered a fraudulent activity. If the amount were $xxxx I personally wouldn't be beyond contacting my local authorities as well as those in the sponsor and rep's jurisdiction about possible criminal charges. I'd do it out of principle and to make life hell for someone who cheated me because I know the squeaky wheel often gets the grease.

Claiming you were just following your employers orders is no defense to fraud. While it's unlikely to actually lead to persecution stranger things have happened and that doesn't mean a pissed off affiliate couldn't try.