Preventing and Protecting Against Internet Research Fraud in Anonymous Web-Based Research: Protocol for the Development and Implementation of an Anonymous Web-Based Data Integrity Plan

Hohn, Kris; Bice, April A.; DeVita, James

doi:10.2196/38550

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…While online methods and platforms, including email; project websites; and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn, offer several benefits such as convenience [ 3 , 4 , 14 , 16 , 19 ], cost savings [ 2 - 4 , 8 , 14 , 15 , 18 , 19 , 21 ], and the opportunity to reach diverse populations [ 3 , 8 , 13 - 19 ], they also expose HCRs to risks related to fraudulent participants [ 2 , 23 , 24 ]. These risks encompass the greater difficulty in determining eligibility [ 3 , 4 , 14 ] and collection of false data, which can significantly alter results and invalidate findings [ 3 , 12 , 15 , 17 , 26 ], leading to inappropriate and harmful applications [ 17 ] as well as the waste of time, funding, and human resources [ 16 , 26 ]. Furthermore, our study highlights the growing challenge of AI and bots in health care research involving online recruitment methods and HCRs’ relatively limited understanding of the various technologies and their capabilities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To minimize the attraction of fraudulent participants, researchers can use a targeted online recruitment approach in addition to security measures [ 26 , 46 ]. This approach involves avoiding the explicit publication of incentives [ 1 , 17 , 24 , 46 ], not using some symbols such as the dollar sign, and publishing recruitment advertisements in closed social media groups rather than public ones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite its numerous benefits, online recruitment brings with it several challenges. One challenge is the increased risk of fraudulent participants, defined as ineligible persons or computer bots designed to pose as real people to participate in research studies, threatening data quality [ 3 , 11 , 17 ]. For instance, Pozzar et al [ 2 ] investigated the extent of fraudulent participants in health care research using online recruitment methods, specifically social media, and found that almost their entire sample of 271 survey respondents were either fraudulent (94.5%) or suspicious (5.5%).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fraudulent participants generally fall into 2 main categories: real humans who participate in a disingenuous manner and computer bots designed to impersonate human participants [ 18 ]. Both human and computer bots attempt to participate in research studies for which they are not qualified or attempt to participate multiple times in the same study [ 17 , 25 ]. The presence of fraudulent participants in research studies can lead to various detrimental outcomes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These include the increased financial burden of identifying and addressing the impacts of fraudulent participants as well as the obligation to compensate such individuals, including bots that generate multiple invalid responses, in accordance with the study protocol [ 26 ]. In addition, the presence of fraudulent participants can compromise the validity and reliability of research findings, potentially resulting in misguided recommendations that may have harmful consequences [ 1 , 3 , 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Evaluating the Problem of Fraudulent Participants in Health Care Research: Multimethod Pilot Study

Kumarasamy,

Goodfellow,

Ferron

et al. 2024

JMIR Form Res

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Background:The shift towards online recruitment methods, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has brought to the forefront the growing concern of encountering fraudulent participants in healthcare research. The increasing prevalence of this issue poses a serious threat to the reliability and integrity of research data and subsequent findings.Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of healthcare researchers (HCRs) who have encountered fraudulent participants while using online recruitment methods and platforms. The primary objective was to gain insights into how researchers detect and mitigate fraudulent behavior in their work and provide prevention recommendations.Methods: A multimethod sequential design was employed for this pilot study, comprising a quantitative arm involving an online survey, followed by a qualitative arm featuring semi-structured interviews. The qualitative description approach framed the qualitative arm of the study. Sample size determination was based on information power and data redundancy, with content analysis used to analyze open-ended survey questions and interview data.Results: A total of 37 HCRs participated with 13 of them engaging in qualitative interviews. Online platforms such as Facebook, email, Twitter, and online newsletters were the most used methods for recruitment. 84% of fraudulent participation occurred in studies that mentioned incentives in their recruitment communications, with 71% of HCRs offering physical or electronic gift cards as incentives. Researchers identified several indicators of suspicious behavior, including email surges, discrepancies in contact or personal information, geographical inconsistencies, and suspicious responses to survey questions. HCRs emphasized the need for a comprehensive screening protocol that extends beyond eligibility checks and is seamlessly integrated into the study protocol, grant applications, and Research Ethics Board (REB) submissions. Conclusions:This study sheds light on the intricate and pervasive problem of fraudulent participation in healthcare research using online recruitment methods. The findings underscore the importance of vigilance and proactivity among HCRs in identifying, preventing, and addressing fraudulent behavior. To effectively tackle this challenge, researchers are encouraged to develop a comprehensive prevention strategy and establish a community of practice, facilitating real-time access to solutions, support, and the promotion of ethical research practices. This collaborative approach will enable researchers to effectively address the issue of fraudulent participation, ensuring the conduct of high-quality and ethically sound research in the digital age.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Evaluating the Problem of Fraudulent Participants in Health Care Research: Multimethod Pilot Study

Kumarasamy,

Goodfellow,

Ferron

et al. 2024

JMIR Form Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Identifying and counteracting fraudulent responses in online recruitment for health research: a scoping review

Comachio,

Poulsen,

Bamgboje-Ayodele

et al. 2024

BMJ EBM

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ObjectivesThis study aimed to describe how health researchers identify and counteract fraudulent responses when recruiting participants online.DesignScoping review.Eligibility criteriaPeer-reviewed studies published in English; studies that report on the online recruitment of participants for health research; and studies that specifically describe methodologies or strategies to detect and address fraudulent responses during the online recruitment of research participants.Sources of evidenceNine databases, including Medline, Informit, AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, IEEE Xplore, Scopus and Web of Science, were searched from inception to April 2024.Charting methodsTwo authors independently screened and selected each study and performed data extraction, following the Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodological guidance for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A predefined framework guided the evaluation of fraud identification and mitigation strategies within the studies included. This framework, adapted from a participatory mapping study that identified indicators of fraudulent survey responses, allowed for systematic assessment and comparison of the effectiveness of various antifraud strategies across studies.Results23 studies were included. 18 studies (78%) reported encountering fraudulent responses. Among the studies reviewed, the proportion of participants excluded for fraudulent or suspicious responses ranged from as low as 3% to as high as 94%. Survey completion time was used in six studies (26%) to identify fraud, with completion times under 5 min flagged as suspicious. 12 studies (52%) focused on non-confirming responses, identifying implausible text patterns through specific questions, consistency checks and open-ended questions. Four studies examined temporal events, such as unusual survey completion times. Seven studies (30%) reported on geographical incongruity, using IP address verification and location screening. Incentives were reported in 17 studies (73%), with higher incentives often increasing fraudulent responses. Mitigation strategies included using in-built survey features like Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (34%), manual verification (21%) and video checks (8%). Most studies recommended multiple detection methods to maintain data integrity.ConclusionThere is insufficient evaluation of strategies to mitigate fraud in online health research, which hinders the ability to offer evidence-based guidance to researchers on their effectiveness. Researchers should employ a combination of strategies to counteract fraudulent responses when recruiting online to optimise data integrity.

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Using Social Media to Recruit Participants in Health Care Research: Case Study

Wright,

Willett,

Ferron

et al. 2024

J Med Internet Res

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This article will explore the use and implications of social media for the purposes of participant recruitment within qualitative healthcare research using an example from our research team. As social media and the use of digital recruitment methods have become increasingly prevalent in recent years and even more so since the Covid-19 pandemic, there remains little discussion surrounding social media usage and strategies to effectively recruit research participants. This information may help guide qualitative researchers who are considering the use of social media to recruit eligible research participants. We discuss the key benefits and challenges to consider when using social media for participant recruitment in research and present our experience using this strategy in a research project as a way to illustrate its use and considerations for researchers. Critical considerations for future researchers include content creation, formatting, and posting frequency; connecting with established community organizations or individuals; and continuously refining the respective strategy with metric analytics. Definitions, examples, and detailed experiences are provided throughout the article to assist other researchers who are considering social media as a tool to facilitate participant recruitment.

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Preventing and Protecting Against Internet Research Fraud in Anonymous Web-Based Research: Protocol for the Development and Implementation of an Anonymous Web-Based Data Integrity Plan

Cited by 12 publications

References 23 publications

Evaluating the Problem of Fraudulent Participants in Health Care Research: Multimethod Pilot Study

Evaluating the Problem of Fraudulent Participants in Health Care Research: Multimethod Pilot Study

Identifying and counteracting fraudulent responses in online recruitment for health research: a scoping review

Using Social Media to Recruit Participants in Health Care Research: Case Study

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