PUBLIC TRACES

A WORKED INVESTIGATION

What does repeated overlap look like?

Start with one reviewer’s history. Follow nearby five-star reviews of the same products. See which reviewers appear again.

Generated example · no real accounts

ONE RESULT, EXPLAINED

Reviewer demo-161
appears in 14 distinct egos.

The search opened 20 reviewer histories and reached 91 reviewers. This reviewer has a corroboration count of 14.

An ego is the local neighborhood around one opened reviewer: people giving five stars to the same products around the same time. Each distinct opened ego adds at most one count to a reviewer, even when several products overlap.

Where the count comes from

Here are 3 supporting egos. Each row shows one shared product and the two five-star review dates, within the selected ±14-day window.

Examples supporting the selected reviewer’s computed corroboration count
Opened reviewerShared productOpened reviewer’s datedemo-161’s dateCount added
demo-129P000002019-04-112019-04-10+1 ego
demo-179P000002019-03-302019-04-10+1 ego
demo-160P000002019-04-012019-04-10+1 ego

These rows are examples from the computed result. The complete ledger below includes the remaining supporting egos and product connections.

FROM A RESULT TO A CONTRIBUTION

What would you share?

An investigation records what was observed and where it came from. See a small excerpt from this same example and how future reviewed contributions would work.

View an example contribution →
Change the search settings 20 histories · cap 3 · ±14 days

The budget limits histories opened. The cap guides which reviewer is opened next; it does not cap the count reported for that reviewer. The time window defines nearby activity.

Inspect the full result Counts, supporting egos, product bursts, and search history
Reviews in the example610Full generated panel; the search opens selected histories.
Histories opened20
Complete product windows18seed egos
Highest corroboration14distinct seed egos

COLLECTION PROGRESS

Each history adds context.

91 reviewers reached
First historyLast opened history

CORROBORATION LEDGER

Inspect the reasons.

Up to 30 reviewers

A count records appearance across distinct opened neighborhoods. Expand a row to see supporting seeds, products, and weeks.

demo-1619 products14 egos

14 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 14 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 14

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-129P00000104
demo-179P0000097
demo-179P0002113
demo-179P00042104
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017153
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P0002355
demo-160P0002662
demo-160P0003362
demo-160P00042104
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P0000097
demo-171P00000104
demo-171P0002355
demo-171P0002662
demo-104P0000097
demo-104P00000104
demo-163P00007160
demo-163P00017153
demo-163P0002113
demo-163P0002355
demo-163P0002662
demo-163P0003076
demo-163P0003362
demo-163P00042104
demo-207P0002113
demo-16P0000097
demo-9P00007160
demo-210P00042104
demo-206P0002355
demo-216P00017153
demo-216P0002662
demo-1625 products13 egos

13 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 13 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 13

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-179P0002120
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017146
demo-160P0002120
demo-160P00038160
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-163P00007160
demo-163P00017146
demo-163P0002120
demo-207P0002120
demo-16P0000097
demo-9P00007160
demo-206P00038160
demo-216P00017146
demo-1608 products11 egos

11 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 11 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-179P0002113
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0002341
demo-171P0002655
demo-163P00017146
demo-163P0002113
demo-163P0002341
demo-163P0002655
demo-163P0003362
demo-207P0002113
demo-207P0003362
demo-16P0000090
demo-210P00042111
demo-206P0002341
demo-206P00038160
demo-216P00017146
demo-216P0002655
demo-1693 products11 egos

11 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 11 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-129P00000104
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P00038160
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-163P0002113
demo-207P0002113
demo-16P0000090
demo-206P00038160
demo-2184 products11 egos

11 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 11 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-179P00042111
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002655
demo-160P00042111
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P0002655
demo-163P0002655
demo-163P0003341
demo-163P00042111
demo-207P0003341
demo-16P0000090
demo-210P00042111
demo-216P0002655
demo-1684 products10 egos

10 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 10 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 10

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017146
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-163P00007153
demo-163P0001427
demo-16P0000097
demo-216P00017146
demo-1744 products10 egos

10 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 10 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 10

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-179P0002113
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017139
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P0002662
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-171P0002662
demo-104P0000097
demo-163P0002113
demo-163P0002662
demo-207P0002113
demo-216P00017139
demo-216P0002662
demo-1292 products9 egos

9 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 9 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-18P0000490
demo-89P0000490
demo-108P0000490
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1812 products9 egos

9 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 9 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00038174
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-16P0000097
demo-206P00038174
demo-1972 products9 egos

9 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 9 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-163P00007160
demo-9P00007160
demo-2152 products9 egos

9 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 9 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002648
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P0002648
demo-163P0002648
demo-16P0000090
demo-216P0002648
demo-1151 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-9P0000062
demo-1501 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-16P0000097
demo-1637 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P0002120
demo-179P0004297
demo-160P00017160
demo-160P0002120
demo-160P0002341
demo-160P0002662
demo-160P0003355
demo-171P0002341
demo-171P0002662
demo-207P0002120
demo-207P0003355
demo-9P00007153
demo-210P0004297
demo-206P0002341
demo-216P00017160
demo-216P0002662
demo-1723 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00000104
demo-160P00017146
demo-160P0003348
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-163P0003348
demo-207P0003348
demo-216P00017146
demo-1772 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00038167
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-206P00038167
demo-1793 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000083
demo-160P0000083
demo-160P0002127
demo-84P0000083
demo-163P0002127
demo-163P0004297
demo-207P0002127
demo-16P0000083
demo-9P0000083
demo-210P0004297
demo-241 products8 egos

8 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 8 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-16P0000097
demo-1161 products7 egos

7 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 7 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1261 products7 egos

7 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 7 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-16P0000090
demo-1674 products7 egos

7 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 7 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P00042104
demo-160P0003348
demo-160P00042104
demo-171P0002355
demo-163P00007160
demo-163P0002355
demo-163P0003348
demo-163P00042104
demo-207P0003348
demo-9P00007160
demo-210P00042104
demo-1713 products7 egos

7 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 7 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00000104
demo-160P0002348
demo-160P0002655
demo-96P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-163P0002348
demo-163P0002655
demo-206P0002348
demo-216P0002655
demo-1981 products7 egos

7 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 7 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1642 products6 egos

6 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 6 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P0002127
demo-160P0002127
demo-160P0002662
demo-171P0002662
demo-163P0002127
demo-163P0002662
demo-207P0002127
demo-216P0002662
demo-1664 products6 egos

6 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 6 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-160P0002655
demo-160P0003355
demo-171P0002655
demo-163P00007160
demo-163P0001427
demo-163P0002655
demo-163P0003355
demo-207P0003355
demo-9P00007160
demo-216P0002655
demo-1784 products6 egos

6 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 6 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-160P00017160
demo-160P0002348
demo-160P0003355
demo-171P0002348
demo-163P0001420
demo-163P00017160
demo-163P0002348
demo-163P0003355
demo-207P0003355
demo-206P0002348
demo-216P00017160
demo-1873 products6 egos

6 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 6 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P0002127
demo-160P0002127
demo-160P0002355
demo-171P0002355
demo-163P0002127
demo-163P0002355
demo-163P0003069
demo-207P0002127
demo-206P0002355
demo-2021 products6 egos

6 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 6 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-84P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-16P0000090
demo-1752 products5 egos

5 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 5 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 5

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-160P0002662
demo-160P00038167
demo-171P0002662
demo-163P0002662
demo-206P00038167
demo-216P0002662
demo-1952 products5 egos

5 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 5 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 5

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P00042111
demo-160P0003355
demo-160P00042111
demo-163P0003355
demo-163P00042111
demo-207P0003355
demo-210P00042111

Complete means product windows covered for captured five-star seed reviews. Seed histories may be truncated. Counts are public-trace evidence, not fraud probabilities.

PRODUCT-TIME STRUCTURE

Observed product bursts

ProductReviewsReviewersWindow spanCorroboration mass
P00000161614 days139
P00000141414 days111
P00026141414 days102
P00007151511 days89
P00021111114 days88
P00033131314 days74
P0001710109 days68
P000389913 days67
P000238814 days59
P000427713 days56
P000277711 days51
P00030668 days38

Mass sums corroboration counts within an observed cluster. It is not a probability.

Search history

A history with no eligible ego can still be opened. 18 of the 20 opened histories produced eligible egos with complete product-window coverage in this generated example.

StepOpened historyNeighborsReviewers reached
1demo-1856
2demo-2516
3demo-8946
4demo-1293234
5demo-106034
6demo-108535
7demo-1793348
8demo-1605467
9demo-842971
10demo-962572
11demo-1713672
12demo-1042174
13demo-1634479
14demo-176079
15demo-2072179
16demo-161981
17demo-92385
18demo-210885
19demo-2062191
20demo-2162391

Each example was computed with the paper’s existing Python implementation on generated records, using fixed random seed 42. Choosing settings opens the matching precomputed result. No real accounts are included. Explore the completed Amazon 2023 findings →