We write for Greenbook on tech-enabled fraud

Rep Data’s Steven Snell, PhD, recently published an article in Greenbook uncovering just how pervasive tech-enabled fraud has become in survey research.

“The Pervasive Threat of Tech-Enabled Fraud in Survey Research” explores how fraud no longer shows up as obvious bots or nonsensical open-ends. Instead, today’s bad actors use VPNs, IP-masking, device spoofing, emulators, and even AI text to convincingly pass as legitimate respondents. Once inside, they camouflage themselves and their responses flatten results and inject bias that can meaningfully shift KPIs.

In a recent research-on-research study across six leading sample sources, Steve and the Rep Data team flagged more than 30% of respondents as suspicious or outright fraudulent. These weren’t fringe cases. Panels and exchanges alike showed similar vulnerabilities, with hyperactive respondents attempting hundreds (even thousands) of surveys in a 24-hour period.

Steve shares in the article that the study findings show that fraud doesn’t always look extreme, it often looks average. For example, top hotel brands saw their aided awareness deflated by fraudulent respondents, reducing meaningful differentiation between high- and low-awareness brands. On national benchmark questions fraudulent respondents consistently overreported behaviors and outcomes, distorting the truth while appearing credible.

Steve emphasizes that cleaning up fraud after the fact is no longer sufficient. Proactive prevention is essential. That’s why Rep Data takes a layered approach with Research Defender, screening every respondent before they enter a survey using enhanced fingerprinting, behavioral scoring, and AI-driven analysis.

You can read more the full Greenbook article here.