Recommendations from a Fraudster
Blog | July 21, 2025
By: Rich Ratcliff, CTrO
Teaser: Fraudsters know exactly where your weak spots are. In this series, I’ll show you what they look for — and what you can do about it.
About the Series
Recommendations from a Fraudster is a new idea we’ve had. Our goal is to share specific, real-world tactics that fraudsters use to exploit the survey ecosystem. Each post will feature a single recommendation — often something that seems obvious to a fraudster but is routinely missed by sample providers and research teams.
These insights are backed by supporting evidence, including video footage, data logs, and observations collected through ethical hacking-style evaluations of recruitment, survey environments, and incentive systems. (These tests never involve real payouts or disrupt supplier ecosystems.)
We won’t call out individual companies. Instead, each recommendation highlights broader patterns across the industry, with guidance for both sample suppliers and MR agencies.
Why This Series Matters
My mission has always been to improve the integrity of research data, not just at the survey level, but across the entire supply chain. Our Navigator Quality bundle was developed to protect the survey itself. But to fully protect the industry, we’ve had to look beyond the survey, to the ecosystem and all of its processes, tech, and methods.
That means re-evaluating how recruitment, incentives, and validation systems are built, and how they’re exploited by the bad actors. By offering proven insights backed by data and real narratives, we aim to remove the ambiguity that often stalls progress.
Recommendation #1: Suppliers Must Tighten Up Payments
Hard Truth: Fraudsters feast on sample suppliers that offer fast or unlimited payouts – especially within 30 days.
Their goal is to complete as many surveys as possible in the first 25 days, cash out along the way, and disappear before detection systems catch up. Then, they wipe the device and start over under a new profile.
This isn’t theory, it’s the most common exploit used across survey platforms. It works because fraudsters move fast, while quality control moves slowly. If incentives are paid quickly and flagged accounts are reconciled slowly, the fraudster wins, often without a trace.
Sample Company Recommendation
We get it: recruitment vs. fraud prevention is a constant tradeoff. But this issue is measurable and preventable.
Ask yourself: How many dead accounts were only active for less than 30 days?
If you manage recruitment or fulfillment:
- Be aware that fast payouts are the #1 target for fraudsters.
- Review and revise payout timelines, especially for new users.
If you use third-party partners:
- Audit their systems and demand transparency.
- Adjust workflows and contracts to limit vulnerabilities.
Contact me at rratcliff@opinionroute.com to discuss how OpinionRoute can support your data quality operations.
MR Agencies Recommendation
We know it’s hard to ask questions you can’t always verify, and the connection isn’t always clear. However, if you’ve noticed a recent spike in reconciliation, this may be the reason.
Ask your sample providers:
- Do you (or your partners) award incentives instantly? If so, can points be reversed if a respondent is flagged?
- Can participants cash out immediately or within 30 days of signup, or before reconciliation?
These aren’t optional questions. They’re critical for protecting your data before it even arrives.
OpinionRoute can help you evaluate partners and strengthen fraud defenses. Email me at rratcliff@opinionroute.com.
Next Time: Proxy Problems — What Frequent IP Changes Reveal
In the next post, we’ll look at how fraudsters rely on proxy tools to stay hidden — and why the way those tools behave may be more revealing than you’d expect.