Online fraud is changing quickly. As artificial intelligence, deepfakes and increasingly sophisticated scams reshape the threat landscape, understanding how the public perceives and responds to fraud has become more important than ever.
Acumen Fieldwork was commissioned to recruit participants for a qualitative research study exploring how people understand the evolution of online fraud, from past experiences and current concerns to the risks they expect to see in the future.
The client required 10 participants for a two-hour, face-to-face workshop in Central London.
The group needed to reflect a broad mix of public perspectives, with participants balanced across gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic background and occupation.
All participants were required to:
Those working in banking or IT were excluded to ensure the discussion reflected the views of the wider public rather than people with specialist professional knowledge.
Meeting the demographic quotas was only one part of the brief.
The research required participants who had enough digital experience and awareness of fraud to contribute meaningfully, without bringing professional expertise that could influence or dominate the discussion.
The sample also needed to include people from five different age groups, ranging from 18 to over 60, while maintaining an even gender split and a broad mix of backgrounds and occupations.
This meant the recruitment process needed to look beyond surface-level eligibility and consider how each participant would engage with a complex, sensitive and fast-moving topic.
Acumen managed the recruitment using a free-find methodology, screening each participant against the full demographic, behavioural and attitudinal criteria.
Our screening explored how frequently participants used the internet, the range of activities they completed online and their existing awareness of fraud.
We also assessed their confidence in discussing unfamiliar or emerging issues, including AI-enabled scams and deepfake technology, as well as their ability to express their views clearly within a workshop environment.
Alongside recruitment, Acumen managed participant communications ahead of the session, including consent documentation, attendance information and identification requirements.
A balanced group of 10 London residents was recruited for the workshop, representing a broad range of ages, backgrounds, occupations and levels of online experience.
The project demonstrates Acumen’s ability to recruit for complex research where participant quality matters just as much as demographic fit. By combining detailed quota management with thoughtful behavioural screening, we recruited a varied group equipped to contribute meaningfully to a sensitive and rapidly evolving subject.
Acumen Fieldwork supports qualitative and quantitative research across complex, sensitive and emerging subject areas.
From carefully balanced public samples to more specialist audiences, our recruitment team can help you find participants who meet the brief and bring genuine value to the research.
