Duplicate account fraud detection  is a big problem for online businesses, but it can be particularly difficult to detect – especially when there are bots involved.

Fortunately, there are a number of solutions out there that can help combat this type of fraud.

Easy Wins: Identifying Fake Accounts

Having an automated system that can quickly identify and remove fake accounts is one of the most important anti-fraud tools a company can have. These systems can look for specific behavioral oddities, like using a VPN during registration or filling in invisible “honeypot” fields that bots would normally bypass.

The Importance of Duplicate Account Fraud Detection for Online Businesses: Techniques and Best Practices

In some cases, duplicate accounts are created for legitimate purposes. For example, someone may have forgotten their password and need to create a new account to replace it. Another common reason people make duplicate accounts is to separate their personal and professional personas on a platform, or to use them as backups in case their main account gets blocked.

Bad Actors: Detecting Account Creation Fraud

The practice of creating fake accounts to commit fraud is a thriving trend that is likely to continue growing in 2019. Some of these accounts are openly made up, while others are created using fake information or stolen data from the Dark Web.

Duplicate Accounts: The Basics

Detecting duplicate accounts is crucial for marketplaces and other platforms that are focused on trust and safety operations. These accounts can be used to distribute spam or harass other users, and they can also be a source of abuses, like artificially ganging up on certain users, or manipulating feedback and reward systems quicker and more efficiently.