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 12 distinct egos.

The search opened 20 reviewer histories and reached 107 reviewers. This reviewer has a corroboration count of 12.

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 ±28-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 · ±28 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 windows16seed egos
Highest corroboration12distinct seed egos

COLLECTION PROGRESS

Each history adds context.

107 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-1293 products12 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 12

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-18P0000490
demo-89P0000490
demo-108P0000490
demo-42P0000490
demo-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-151P0000583
demo-112P00004174
demo-96P0000097
demo-471 products11 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 11

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00000111
demo-42P0000048
demo-84P0000048
demo-84P00000111
demo-177P00000111
demo-33P0000048
demo-9P0000048
demo-151P0000048
demo-112P0000048
demo-94P0000048
demo-72P00000153
demo-96P00000111
demo-841 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-42P0000034
demo-177P0000090
demo-47P0000034
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-151P0000034
demo-112P0000034
demo-94P0000034
demo-72P0000034
demo-96P0000090
demo-423 products10 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 10

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-18P00004111
demo-89P00004111
demo-129P00004111
demo-108P00004111
demo-84P0000027
demo-177P00002-1
demo-47P0000027
demo-112P0000027
demo-112P00002111
demo-94P0000027
demo-72P0000027
demo-1151 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-84P0000062
demo-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000062
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000062
demo-9P0000062
demo-9P0000097
demo-151P0000062
demo-112P0000062
demo-96P0000097
demo-1602 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-84P0000090
demo-177P0000090
demo-177P00038160
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-151P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-1791 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-84P0000083
demo-177P0000083
demo-47P0000083
demo-33P0000083
demo-9P0000083
demo-151P0000083
demo-96P0000083
demo-1812 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-177P00038174
demo-47P0000097
demo-47P00000153
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-72P00000153
demo-96P0000097
demo-271 products8 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 8

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-42P0000041
demo-84P0000041
demo-47P0000041
demo-33P0000041
demo-151P0000041
demo-112P0000041
demo-94P0000041
demo-72P0000041
demo-12 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00004160
demo-84P0000062
demo-47P0000062
demo-47P00000132
demo-33P0000062
demo-9P0000062
demo-151P0000062
demo-112P0000062
demo-112P00004160
demo-1032 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-42P0000034
demo-42P00002125
demo-84P0000034
demo-47P0000034
demo-151P0000034
demo-112P0000034
demo-112P00002125
demo-94P0000034
demo-72P0000034
demo-1123 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00004160
demo-42P0000041
demo-42P00002125
demo-42P00002132
demo-84P0000041
demo-47P0000041
demo-151P0000041
demo-94P0000041
demo-72P0000041
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-84P0000090
demo-177P0000090
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-1501 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-1512 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-129P00005104
demo-84P0000062
demo-47P0000062
demo-33P0000062
demo-9P0000062
demo-112P0000062
demo-94P0000062
demo-161 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-84P0000083
demo-177P0000083
demo-33P0000083
demo-9P0000083
demo-151P0000083
demo-96P0000083
demo-1612 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-129P00000104
demo-84P0000097
demo-84P00000104
demo-177P0000097
demo-177P00000104
demo-47P0000097
demo-47P00000104
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-9P00007160
demo-96P0000097
demo-96P00000104
demo-1623 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-177P00038160
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-9P00007160
demo-96P0000097
demo-1683 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-33P00005174
demo-9P0000097
demo-9P00007153
demo-96P0000097
demo-1692 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-129P00000104
demo-84P0000090
demo-84P00000104
demo-177P0000090
demo-177P00000104
demo-177P00038160
demo-47P0000090
demo-47P00000104
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-96P00000104
demo-1741 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-1772 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-42P0000220
demo-84P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-1892 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-84P0000069
demo-177P00038160
demo-47P0000069
demo-33P0000069
demo-9P0000069
demo-151P0000069
demo-112P0000069
demo-1972 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-9P00007160
demo-96P0000097
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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-96P0000097
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-84P0000090
demo-177P0000090
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-2151 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-84P0000090
demo-177P0000090
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-2181 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-84P0000090
demo-177P0000090
demo-47P0000090
demo-33P0000090
demo-9P0000090
demo-96P0000090
demo-241 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-84P0000097
demo-177P0000097
demo-47P0000097
demo-33P0000097
demo-9P0000097
demo-96P0000097
demo-61 products7 egos

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

Observed count, including incomplete coverage: 7

Source seedProductWeek (day index)
demo-84P0000055
demo-47P0000055
demo-33P0000055
demo-9P0000055
demo-151P0000055
demo-112P0000055
demo-94P0000055

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
P00000212028 days133
P00000171728 days122
P000009926 days73
P00000131328 days67
P000389913 days55
P00002131228 days49
P00007161617 days49
P00021131318 days46
P00026141414 days45
P00000141426 days44
P00017151521 days44
P00033171720 days42

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. 16 of the 20 opened histories produced eligible egos with complete product-window coverage in this generated example.

StepOpened historyNeighborsReviewers reached
1demo-1867
2demo-2517
3demo-8968
4demo-1294144
5demo-106044
6demo-108645
7demo-423369
8demo-844774
9demo-1774277
10demo-475891
11demo-333593
12demo-943101
13demo-15122101
14demo-1160101
15demo-11229102
16demo-9423107
17demo-7225107
18demo-530107
19demo-1370107
20demo-9631107

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 →