Abstract

With the increase in online research and development of AI/bots, there are growing possibilities for potential scammers to participate in research projects. As researchers we make the assumption of taking our participant’s accounts at face value, but what should we do if we have reasons to doubt the authenticity of our participants’ responses? This presentation explores the different types of participants and the implications on research and researchers. It provides an overview of some of the possible red flags that can identify potential scammers and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research which can increase opportunities for deception and may make detection more difficult. Within this talk, key strategies are provided for quantitative and qualitative research and when researchers include financial compensation within their projects. Overall, it is important that researchers remain vigilant and adapt methods as appropriate when approaching research projects and consider their own mental health if they encounter potential scammers.