Hey everyone, it’s Rebecca here. I just need to get this off my chest because the more I read about this whole Capital One Shopping mess, the angrier I get. Influencers and creators are out here busting their tails to promote products, build audiences, and bring real customers to these big companies. And what happens? The companies turn around and steal the credit for the sales. Literally.

According to the lawsuit, Capital One’s “Shopping” browser extension has been replacing influencers’ affiliate links with its own. That means the money that should be going into the pockets of the people who actually did the hard work of convincing someone to buy—gone. Instead, it slides neatly into the pockets of a giant company that already has more money than it knows what to do with.

It feels like a robbery in broad daylight. Influencers bring the audience. They create the content. They do the marketing legwork. They convince people to sign up or buy. But at the last second, some piece of corporate tech swoops in and says, “Thanks, we’ll take that commission for ourselves.” Imagine going to work, putting in all the hours, and then watching your paycheck get handed to someone else. That’s what this is.

And the saddest part? Most people out there don’t even realize this is happening. You’d think if you’re in a program that promises to pay you for driving sales, you’d actually be able to see the numbers: who clicked, who bought, what money is owed. But these companies keep it all hidden behind a curtain. That’s exactly how they get away with it—because creators can’t see the actual flow of money. If you don’t know who paid for what, how do you even prove you’re being ripped off?

This isn’t just Capital One. Remember Temu? They came out promising people they could make money by promoting codes. “Do this, sign people up, share with your friends.” And then when folks put in all that work, they weren’t shown clear records of who actually used their codes. No transparency. No accountability. At the end of the day, Temu made money, but the everyday people trying to hustle on their platform walked away confused, unpaid, and honestly—used.

It’s disgusting that we’ve reached a point where cheating honest people is just another “business strategy.” Influencers aren’t billion-dollar corporations. They’re regular people trying to build something out of their creativity, their personality, their community. For some, this is their livelihood. And to think that the very companies who rely on their work would turn around and snatch their earnings—it’s beyond disrespectful.

What makes me even more uneasy is the thought that this is just the tip of the iceberg. If Capital One Shopping is doing it, if Temu has done it, who else is quietly stealing commissions behind the scenes? How many other platforms or programs are manipulating the numbers so they keep the biggest slice of the pie? Every time I hear a new story like this, it just reinforces my suspicion that a lot of these big programs aren’t playing fair.

And the craziest part? They still need us. They need people like influencers, affiliates, and creators to keep their wheels turning. Without us pushing their products, a lot of their reach would disappear. But instead of valuing the people driving their growth, they treat them like disposable workers. Use them for promotion, then cut them out of the profits.

This is why I think the whole industry needs serious regulation and transparency. If a company is running an affiliate or influencer program, they should be required to show the data—straight up. Show the clicks. Show the purchases. Show the commissions. That way, creators know exactly what they’re owed, and companies can’t just wave their hands and make the money vanish into “systems” that never get explained.

Until then, we’re stuck in a system where the ones with the money and power get to write the rules—and rewrite them when it suits them. And the small creators, the people grinding late at night making videos, writing posts, and connecting with audiences, are left trying to figure out why their bank account doesn’t reflect their effort.

Honestly, it breaks my heart to see it, because creators should be empowered, not exploited. They’re the ones fueling so much of today’s marketing and culture. Yet over and over, it’s the same story: big corporations cashing in while the people who made it possible are left behind.

So, what do you all think? Am I overreacting, or do you see this pattern too? I really believe this is going to become a bigger issue in the next few years unless someone steps in. And I hate to say it, but if companies like Capital One are willing to play dirty, you better believe there are plenty more out there doing the same thing.

This isn’t just about one lawsuit—it’s about respect for creators everywhere.

– Rebecca

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