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This Month in Moderation: March 2021

By Jonas Strandell, Chief Marketing Officer

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    March marks the 1-year anniversary of WHO declaring Covid 19 a global pandemic. While vaccines are now being rolled out and a return to normality is inching closer, online trade is still heavily influenced and characterized by a year in and out of lockdown. And so are the content moderation challenges we meet in our day-to-day work with platforms across the globe.

    Shortage in graphics cards increases electronic fraud

    Whether for work or entertainment, being homebound has caused people to shop for desktop computers at a level we haven’t seen for a decade. For the past 10 years, mobile-first has been preached by any business advisor worth listening to, but lockdowns have given desktop computers a surprising comeback and increased demands for PC parts.

    The increased interest in PCs combined with the late 2020 release of the new console generation and the reduced production caused by pandemic mandated lockdowns has created an unexpected niche for scammers.

    We’re currently seeing a worldwide shortage of graphic cards needed for both consoles and desktop computers, and scammers haven’t wasted a second to jump on the opportunity.

    In March, we’ve seen a significant increase in fraud cases related to graphics cards with gaming capabilities. In some cases, more than 50% of fraud cases we deal with have been related to graphics cards.

    Puppy scams are still sky-high

    In March, we post-reviewed puppy scams on six popular online marketplaces in the UK. We found that almost 50% of live listings showed signs of being fraudulent.

    Pet trade has exploded since the beginning of the pandemic and scammers are still trying to take advantage of those looking for new furry family members.

    Sleeper accounts awaken

    Our moderators warn that this month they’ve seen an increase in sleeper accounts engaging in Trojan scams. The accounts post a low-risk item, then lie dormant for a while before they start posting high-value items. The method is used to circumvent moderation setups that only moderate the first items posted by new accounts.

    High-risk items posted by these accounts are often expensive electronics in high demand, such as cameras or the Nintendo Switch.

    April is looking to be an interesting month in terms of content moderation challenges. With many countries tentatively opening up and others concerned about a 3rd wave, we recommend that all marketplace owners keep a close eye on corona-related scams. From masks to fake vaccines and a potential incoming surge of forged Corona passports, staying alert, up to date, and keeping your moderators educated will be as important as ever.

    If you need help reviewing your content moderation setup or are looking for an experienced team to take it off your hands, we’re here to help.

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