I use web scraping to identify and monitor fraud.
Exhibit A: https://archive.ph/0ZUA8
This website is used to recruit people to set up "lead generation" Google Business Profiles and leave paid reviews.
Exhibit B: https://archive.ph/WWZuw
This is an example of the Craigslist ad used to initially attract people to the website above.
Exhibit C: https://archive.ph/wip/7Xig4
This is one of the Google Maps contributors which left paid reviews.
If you start with the reviews on that profile, you'll find a network of Google Business Profiles for fake service-area businesses connected through paid reviews.
Web scraping allows me to collect this type of data at scale.
I also use scraping to monitor the status of fake listings. If they are removed, the actor behind them will often get them reinstated. This allows me to report them again.
Exhibit A: https://archive.ph/0ZUA8
This website is used to recruit people to set up "lead generation" Google Business Profiles and leave paid reviews.
Exhibit B: https://archive.ph/WWZuw
This is an example of the Craigslist ad used to initially attract people to the website above.
Exhibit C: https://archive.ph/wip/7Xig4
This is one of the Google Maps contributors which left paid reviews.
If you start with the reviews on that profile, you'll find a network of Google Business Profiles for fake service-area businesses connected through paid reviews.
Web scraping allows me to collect this type of data at scale.
I also use scraping to monitor the status of fake listings. If they are removed, the actor behind them will often get them reinstated. This allows me to report them again.