Recommendations from a Fraudster: Part 2
Blog | September 3, 2025
The Tracker Loophole
By: Rich Ratcliff, CTrO
“Old Tracker Links Are the Gift That Keeps on Giving.” ~Every Fraudster
Here’s a fresh recommendation that came out of a recent Whitehat conversation. It’s one you can act on right now, without any new tech, dev time, or operational overhaul.
Some of the most damaging fraud isn’t flashy. It doesn’t rely on proxies, VPNs, or AI. It just slips in through an old, forgotten link — one you never imagined would become an open invitation.
That’s exactly what happens when survey links stay live too long.
Yes, we’re talking about that tracker link that hasn’t been changed since launch.
We get it — it’s easy to overlook. It seems harmless. But to a fraudster, a static link is a welcome mat. If they got in once, they’ll try again. And they’ll post it to the dark boards for others to join in.
The Fraud Playbook
When a survey stays live beyond 30 days — especially one with elevated incentives and minimal fraud prevention — it earns a permanent place on fraudster community boards.
“One link,” our Whitehat said, “had a thread full of fraudsters joking that it had been active for over three years.”
Every time a new wave begins, that thread lights up again:
“Quotas open. Go now.”
Fraudsters have extra time to track the project code. Then they save the links they’ve successfully infiltrated, document how to qualify, and periodically test the link to see if it’s active again. If the study gets reactivated under the same URL, they jump right back in — armed with the right devices, identities, and pre-tested answers.
These links become fraud annuities — steady, low-effort payouts for anyone willing to stay organized.
The longer the door stays open, the more it gets passed around.
The Hidden Operational Risk
It’s easy to miss the root cause of fraud when it stems from a long-lived link. You might notice a spike in bad quality or suspicious activity and chalk it up to “bad luck” or “poor paneling.”
In reality, it’s the same fraud ring — hitting your tracker again and again, across multiple waves.
Worse, the damage is cumulative.
A few bad completes per wave don’t always set off alarms, but over time?
Your trendlines get fuzzy. Client trust erodes.
And now you’re questioning your partners – when a 15-minute process could’ve solved it.
The Fix: Time Limits & Link Hygiene
The recommendation is simple: Change the link.
At a minimum, enforce a 30-day (or end-of-wave) expiration cycle.
You don’t need to rebuild the survey. The content, logic, and quotas can stay the same.
Just reset the access point — make it unfamiliar territory.
Here’s what that might look like:
- Create a fresh link at the start of each wave.
- Change the link title and identifiers — and avoid using terms like Tracker or Monitor.
- Rotate offer wall names or project IDs so crawling tools don’t flag them.
If you’ve got the right system in place, this takes under 15 minutes.
(That’s how fast we do it with Navigator. If you’re wondering how, let’s talk.)
Yes, it’s more work than reusing the same link. But fraud thrives on convenience. And this is one convenience you can’t afford.
Final Thought
Old links are comfort food for fraudsters.
They’ve mapped your logic. Saved their notes. Learned how to blend in.
Change the link.
Empty the house they’re used to sneaking into.
Make this a non-issue — it’s one of the easiest and most immediate changes we can all make across the industry.
If you’re ready to close the door on long-term fraud risk, let’s talk. Contact us or reach out today rratcliff@opinionroute.com.