Win against incentive abuse

Multi-accounting is when a single person or fraud ring controls many different accounts, often using disposable emails, virtual phone numbers and spoofed devices. These accounts are then used to refer each other, unlock “new user” promos multiple times, or stack rewards that should only be earned once per real customer. Multi-accounting is one of the main engines behind referral and promo abuse.

Common red flags include many referrals coming from the same IP, device or location, a high number of new users sharing similar contact details, and short-lived accounts that redeem a promo and quickly churn. You may also see spikes in referrals right after a campaign launch from unusual geographies, or abnormal patterns where one referrer generates an unrealistic number of “friends” in a short period.

Fraudsters combine breached or stolen personal data with fabricated identities, disposable emails and virtual phone numbers. They use scripts, emulators and device farms to create and manage large volumes of accounts that appear distinct on the surface. These accounts sign up through referral links, redeem welcome offers and apply promo codes repeatedly, often cashing out bonuses, reselling discounted goods, or converting rewards into money or crypto.