Referral marketing is a highly effective strategy, with 92% of consumers trusting recommendations from people they know, and structured programs often leading to significant revenue growth. However, businesses must be wary of referral fraud, which occurs when individuals exploit these programs for unearned rewards through tactics like self-referrals, return abuse, repeat referrals, and broadcasting codes online. Such fraud can distort marketing data, lead to revenue losses, and consume time and resources in detection and prevention efforts. To combat this, companies can implement measures such as offering non-cash rewards, setting strict program rules, and utilizing advanced tools like browser fingerprinting services to identify and deter fraudulent activities, thus safeguarding their referral programs and maintaining genuine customer growth.