Fraud Detection Protocol for Web-Based Research Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: Development and Descriptive Evaluation
- PMID: 30714944
- PMCID: PMC6378547
- DOI: 10.2196/12344
Fraud Detection Protocol for Web-Based Research Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: Development and Descriptive Evaluation
Abstract
Background: Internet is becoming an increasingly common tool for survey research, particularly among "hidden" or vulnerable populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). Web-based research has many advantages for participants and researchers, but fraud can present a significant threat to data integrity.
Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate fraud detection strategies in a Web-based survey of young MSM and describe new protocols to improve fraud detection in Web-based survey research.
Methods: This study involved a cross-sectional Web-based survey that examined individual- and network-level risk factors for HIV transmission and substance use among young MSM residing in 15 counties in Central Kentucky. Each survey entry, which was at least 50% complete, was evaluated by the study staff for fraud using an algorithm involving 8 criteria based on a combination of geolocation data, survey data, and personal information. Entries were classified as fraudulent, potentially fraudulent, or valid. Descriptive analyses were performed to describe each fraud detection criterion among entries.
Results: Of the 414 survey entries, the final categorization resulted in 119 (28.7%) entries identified as fraud, 42 (10.1%) as potential fraud, and 253 (61.1%) as valid. Geolocation outside of the study area (164/414, 39.6%) was the most frequently violated criterion. However, 33.3% (82/246) of the entries that had ineligible geolocations belonged to participants who were in eligible locations (as verified by their request to mail payment to an address within the study area or participation at a local event). The second most frequently violated criterion was an invalid phone number (94/414, 22.7%), followed by mismatching names within an entry (43/414, 10.4%) and unusual email addresses (37/414, 8.9%). Less than 5% (18/414) of the entries had some combination of personal information items matching that of a previous entry.
Conclusions: This study suggests that researchers conducting Web-based surveys of MSM should be vigilant about the potential for fraud. Researchers should have a fraud detection algorithm in place prior to data collection and should not rely on the Internet Protocol (IP) address or geolocation alone, but should rather use a combination of indicators.
Keywords: HIV; MSM; Web-based methodology; Web-based research; fraud; mobile phone; questionnaires; technology; validity.
©April M Ballard, Trey Cardwell, April M Young. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 04.02.2019.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Assessing and Improving Data Integrity in Web-Based Surveys: Comparison of Fraud Detection Systems in a COVID-19 Study.JMIR Form Res. 2024 Jan 12;8:e47091. doi: 10.2196/47091. JMIR Form Res. 2024. PMID: 38214962 Free PMC article.
-
Methods for Authenticating Participants in Fully Web-Based Mobile App Trials from the iReach Project: Cross-sectional Study.JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Aug 31;9(8):e28232. doi: 10.2196/28232. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021. PMID: 34463631 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
An updated protocol to detect invalid entries in an online survey of men who have sex with men (MSM): how do valid and invalid submissions compare?AIDS Behav. 2015 Oct;19(10):1928-37. doi: 10.1007/s10461-015-1033-y. AIDS Behav. 2015. PMID: 25805443 Free PMC article.
-
Strategies to improve response rates to web surveys: A literature review.Int J Nurs Stud. 2021 Nov;123:104058. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.104058. Epub 2021 Aug 3. Int J Nurs Stud. 2021. PMID: 34454334 Review.
-
Using Web-Based Pin-Drop Maps to Capture Activity Spaces Among Young Adults Who Use Drugs in Rural Areas: Cross-Sectional Survey.JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2019 Oct 18;5(4):e13593. doi: 10.2196/13593. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2019. PMID: 31628787 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Food Insecurity Is Associated with Diet Quality in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study.Nutrients. 2024 Apr 28;16(9):1319. doi: 10.3390/nu16091319. Nutrients. 2024. PMID: 38732568 Free PMC article.
-
Use of preexposure prophylaxis and condom purchasing decisions.J Exp Anal Behav. 2024 Mar;121(2):233-245. doi: 10.1002/jeab.905. Epub 2024 Feb 14. J Exp Anal Behav. 2024. PMID: 38356347
-
The promotive and protective effects of parents' perceived changes during the COVID-19 pandemic on emotional well-being among U.S. households with young children: an investigation of family resilience processes.Front Psychol. 2024 Jan 8;14:1270514. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1270514. eCollection 2023. Front Psychol. 2024. PMID: 38259548 Free PMC article.
-
Assessing and Improving Data Integrity in Web-Based Surveys: Comparison of Fraud Detection Systems in a COVID-19 Study.JMIR Form Res. 2024 Jan 12;8:e47091. doi: 10.2196/47091. JMIR Form Res. 2024. PMID: 38214962 Free PMC article.
-
Contraceptive Behavior in Appalachia: Exploring Use, Nonuse, and Contraceptive Attitudes.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Sep 29;20(19):6862. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20196862. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023. PMID: 37835132 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Eysenbach G. Improving the quality of Web surveys: the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) J Med Internet Res. 2004 Dec 29;6(3):e34. doi: 10.2196/jmir.6.3.e34. http://www.jmir.org/2004/3/e34/ v6e34 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
-
- Sullivan PS, Grey JA, Simon Rosser BR. Emerging technologies for HIV prevention for MSM: what we have learned, and ways forward. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2013 Jun 01;63 Suppl 1:S102–7. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182949e85. http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/23673879 00126334-201306011-00017 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
-
- Eysenbach G, Wyatt J. Using the Internet for surveys and health research. J Med Internet Res. 2002;4(2):E13. doi: 10.2196/jmir.4.2.e13. http://www.jmir.org/2002/2/e13/ - DOI - PMC - PubMed
-
- Mustanski BS. Getting wired: Exploiting the internet for the collection of valid sexuality data. Journal of Sex Research. 2001 Nov;38(4):292–301. doi: 10.1080/00224490109552100. - DOI
-
- Pequegnat W, Rosser BRS, Bowen AM, Bull SS, DiClemente RJ, Bockting WO, Elford J, Fishbein M, Gurak L, Horvath K, Konstan J, Noar SM, Ross MW, Sherr L, Spiegel D, Zimmerman R. Conducting Internet-based HIV/STD prevention survey research: considerations in design and evaluation. AIDS Behav. 2007 Jul;11(4):505–21. doi: 10.1007/s10461-006-9172-9. - DOI - PubMed
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources