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-129
appears in 13 distinct egos.

The search opened 20 reviewer histories and reached 87 reviewers. This reviewer has a corroboration count of 13.

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-129’s dateCount added
demo-18P000042019-04-072019-04-03+1 ego
demo-89P000042019-03-272019-04-03+1 ego
demo-108P000042019-04-062019-04-03+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 5 · ±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 windows17seed egos
Highest corroboration13distinct seed egos

COLLECTION PROGRESS

Each history adds context.

87 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-1292 products13 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 13

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-18P0000490
demo-89P0000490
demo-108P0000490
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1617 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-129P00000104
demo-179P0000097
demo-179P0002113
demo-179P00042104
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017153
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P0002355
demo-160P0002662
demo-160P0003362
demo-160P00042104
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-215P00000104
demo-215P0002662
demo-218P0000097
demo-218P00000104
demo-218P0002662
demo-218P00042104
demo-96P0000097
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P0000097
demo-171P00000104
demo-171P0002355
demo-171P0002662
demo-172P0000097
demo-172P00000104
demo-172P00017153
demo-172P0003362
demo-47P00000104
demo-104P0000097
demo-104P00000104
demo-164P0002113
demo-164P0002662
demo-207P0002113
demo-1744 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-179P0002113
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017139
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P0002662
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-215P0002662
demo-218P0000097
demo-218P0002662
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-171P0002662
demo-172P0000097
demo-172P00017139
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-164P0002113
demo-164P0002662
demo-207P0002113
demo-1624 products12 egos

12 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 12 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 12

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-179P0002120
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00017146
demo-160P0002120
demo-160P00038160
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-172P00017146
demo-104P0000097
demo-164P0002120
demo-207P0002120
demo-1693 products12 egos

12 distinct product-window-complete seed egos; 12 observed seed egos.

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 12

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-129P00000104
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002113
demo-160P00038160
demo-84P0000090
demo-215P0000090
demo-215P00000104
demo-218P0000090
demo-218P00000104
demo-96P0000090
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P00000104
demo-172P0000090
demo-172P00000104
demo-47P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-207P0002113
demo-1151 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000062
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1161 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1772 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00038167
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1812 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-160P00038174
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P00000153
demo-104P0000097
demo-1971 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1981 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000097
demo-179P0000097
demo-160P0000097
demo-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1501 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-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1607 products10 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 10

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-179P0002113
demo-84P0000090
demo-215P0000090
demo-215P0002655
demo-218P0000090
demo-218P0002655
demo-218P00042111
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0002341
demo-171P0002655
demo-172P00017146
demo-172P0003362
demo-164P0002113
demo-164P0002655
demo-207P0002113
demo-207P0003362
demo-1682 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-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-172P00017146
demo-104P0000097
demo-2184 products10 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 10

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-179P00042111
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002655
demo-160P00042111
demo-84P0000090
demo-215P0000090
demo-215P0002655
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P0002655
demo-172P0000090
demo-172P0003341
demo-164P0002655
demo-207P0003341
demo-241 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-84P0000097
demo-215P0000097
demo-218P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-171P0000097
demo-172P0000097
demo-104P0000097
demo-1261 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-84P0000090
demo-215P0000090
demo-218P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-172P0000090
demo-1713 products9 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00000104
demo-160P0002348
demo-160P0002655
demo-215P00000104
demo-215P0002655
demo-218P00000104
demo-218P0002655
demo-96P00000104
demo-172P00000104
demo-47P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-164P0002655
demo-961 products9 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 9

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00000104
demo-160P00000104
demo-84P00000104
demo-215P00000104
demo-218P00000104
demo-171P00000104
demo-172P00000104
demo-47P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-1636 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-215P0002662
demo-218P0002662
demo-218P0003355
demo-218P0004297
demo-171P0002341
demo-171P0002662
demo-172P0003355
demo-164P0002120
demo-164P0002662
demo-207P0002120
demo-207P0003355
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-218P00000104
demo-218P0003348
demo-96P00000104
demo-171P00000104
demo-47P00000104
demo-104P00000104
demo-207P0003348
demo-2152 products8 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000090
demo-179P0000090
demo-160P0000090
demo-160P0002648
demo-84P0000090
demo-218P0000090
demo-218P0002648
demo-96P0000090
demo-171P0000090
demo-171P0002648
demo-164P0002648
demo-1662 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-160P0002655
demo-160P0003355
demo-215P0002655
demo-218P0002655
demo-218P0003355
demo-171P0002655
demo-172P0003355
demo-164P0002655
demo-207P0003355
demo-1793 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P0000083
demo-160P0000083
demo-160P0002127
demo-84P0000083
demo-215P0000083
demo-218P0000083
demo-218P0004297
demo-164P0002127
demo-207P0002127
demo-2021 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-215P0000090
demo-218P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-841 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-215P0000090
demo-218P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-47P0000034
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-215P0002662
demo-218P0002662
demo-171P0002662
demo-207P0002127
demo-1652 products6 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P0002120
demo-160P0002120
demo-160P0003348
demo-218P0003348
demo-172P0003348
demo-164P0002120
demo-207P0002120
demo-207P0003348
demo-1673 products6 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P00042104
demo-160P0003348
demo-160P00042104
demo-218P0003348
demo-218P00042104
demo-171P0002355
demo-172P0003348
demo-207P0003348
demo-1842 products6 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 6

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-179P0002120
demo-160P0002120
demo-160P0003348
demo-218P0003348
demo-172P0003348
demo-164P0002120
demo-207P0002120
demo-207P0003348

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 days146
P00000141414 days143
P00026141414 days110
P00021111114 days94
P00007151511 days80
P00033131314 days78
P0001710109 days69
P000389913 days68
P000238814 days54
P000427713 days52
P000277711 days50
P00014555 days36

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. 17 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-202071
11demo-2153473
12demo-126073
13demo-2184373
14demo-962574
15demo-1713674
16demo-1724175
17demo-473186
18demo-1042187
19demo-1642087
20demo-2072187

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 →