Independent Research Program
Polymarket
Investigating Online Fraud and Market Abuse
AbuseOne brings together independent researchers to investigate online fraud, digital abuse and suspicious activity through open-source intelligence and evidence-led research.
This independent initiative focuses on publicly observable indicators of potential misconduct associated with prediction markets, including suspicious trading patterns, coordinated wallet activity, impersonation and related online scams.
Polymarket
Independent research initiative
- Program
- Polymarket
- Research focus
- Online Fraud & Market Integrity
- Methodology
- OSINT & Digital Investigations
- Scope
- Publicly available information
- Program type
- Independent Research Initiative
Not an official Polymarket program. AbuseOne is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Polymarket.
The initiative
About This Research Initiative
Prediction markets create a public record of market activity, while the surrounding digital ecosystem can also be exploited by fraudsters, impersonators and coordinated actors.
AbuseOne provides a structured environment for independent researchers to identify potential online abuse, investigate publicly available evidence and prepare clear, documented findings.
This initiative is designed to explore research into suspicious activity associated with prediction markets, including relevant public blockchain data, online identities, external websites and other lawful open-source evidence.
The objective is to produce actionable research that helps clarify potential risks and supports appropriate reporting to relevant organizations. AbuseOne has no access to Polymarket's internal systems, private trading data, user identities or confidential investigations.
Research Areas
Areas where evidence-led, open-source research may help document potential abuse. Every finding should be supported by verifiable public information.
Suspicious Trading Patterns
Investigate publicly observable indicators that may warrant further review, such as unusual trading activity around significant events, apparent coordination between wallets and potentially manipulative patterns.
Distinguish observable facts from hypotheses. A suspicious pattern alone does not establish misconduct.
Wallet Relationships and Coordination
Examine publicly available blockchain transactions and other lawful sources to document potential relationships between wallets, accounts or entities.
Explain the evidence behind any proposed connection. Shared timing, funding or transaction behavior alone is not conclusive proof of common ownership.
Online Fraud and Impersonation
Investigate fraudulent websites, fake support accounts, phishing attempts, impersonation and scams that misuse the Polymarket name or target its users.
Where possible, document the relevant URLs, account identifiers, timestamps and supporting evidence.
Potential Market Manipulation
Document publicly observable indicators of potentially manipulative conduct, including apparent wash trading, coordinated activity or suspicious behavior surrounding market events.
Never label a trader, wallet or organization as guilty based solely on an unverified allegation.
OSINT and Entity Research
Use lawful open-source methods to identify relevant public information about websites, online identities, organizations and potential connections between entities.
Respect privacy, applicable law and platform terms. Never obtain confidential information through deception or unauthorized access.
Digital Abuse and Scam Networks
Investigate public-facing scam infrastructure, related domains, fraudulent promotions and networks of accounts involved in suspected online abuse connected to prediction markets.
Focus on evidence, traceable sources and practical recommendations.
Evidence-Led Research
Every research submission should be clear, reproducible and grounded in verifiable information. Researchers should explain what they observed, how they reached their conclusions and which limitations apply.
- 01
Identify
Identify a specific, publicly observable indicator of potential fraud, abuse or suspicious activity.
- 02
Investigate
Collect relevant information from lawful public sources and document the research methodology.
- 03
Verify
Cross-check important findings against independent sources where possible. Clearly distinguish confirmed facts, reasonable inferences and unverified allegations.
- 04
Document
Prepare a concise report with relevant links, timestamps, transaction hashes, wallet addresses or other appropriate public evidence.
- 05
Submit
Submit findings through the AbuseOne reporting process. Reports may be reviewed by AbuseOne, and external escalation may be considered where appropriate.
Submitting a report does not mean it will be accepted by Polymarket or that Polymarket will act on it.
Reporting guidelines
What Makes a Useful Report?
Incomplete initial information can still be useful, as long as it is honest about what is known. Unsupported accusations are not acceptable.
Never acceptable
- Trading on inside information
- Manipulating markets or interfering with event outcomes
- Evading geographic restrictions
- Accessing private accounts or systems
- Stealing or phishing for credentials
- Unlawful surveillance of individuals
Include, where relevant
- A clear description of the suspected activity.
- The relevant public market or website URL.
- Public wallet addresses and transaction hashes, where applicable.
- Relevant dates and timestamps, including the timezone.
- Links to supporting public evidence.
- A transparent explanation of the methodology.
- An assessment of confidence and alternative explanations.
- A clear distinction between direct observations and assumptions.
Responsible Independent Research
This initiative is intended for independent researchers interested in online fraud, OSINT, digital investigations and market-integrity-related research.
All research must be conducted lawfully and ethically, using sources and methods the researcher is authorized to access.
The initiative does not authorize testing of Polymarket infrastructure, access to private systems, intrusive account investigations, interference with trading activity or any activity that violates applicable law or platform rules. Participation does not make anyone an official Polymarket investigator or representative.
Research compensation
This independent research initiative does not currently announce any Polymarket-sponsored rewards or guaranteed compensation. Any future compensation arrangement would require explicit written confirmation from the relevant parties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this an official Polymarket program?
No. This is an independent research initiative published by AbuseOne. It is not operated, sponsored, authorized or endorsed by Polymarket.
Does Polymarket pay rewards through AbuseOne?
No Polymarket-sponsored rewards or compensation arrangements have been confirmed. Do not assume that a submission qualifies for payment.
What types of research are relevant?
Potentially relevant research includes online scams, impersonation, suspicious public trading patterns, wallet relationships and other evidence-led investigations related to prediction markets.
Can researchers access private accounts or internal Polymarket systems?
No. This initiative does not authorize private-system access, intrusive testing, credential theft or unauthorized investigations.
What should a report contain?
A clear explanation of the suspected issue, supporting public evidence, relevant links or transaction identifiers, timestamps and an explanation of the methodology.
Does submitting a report guarantee action?
No. Submissions may be reviewed, but acceptance, escalation and any subsequent action are not guaranteed.
Disclaimer
This page describes an independent AbuseOne research initiative. AbuseOne is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Polymarket, and this page does not represent an official Polymarket program. No Polymarket authorization, bounty arrangement or compensation commitment has been established through this page.
Research must comply with applicable law and the terms governing the relevant services. Findings represent the researcher's documented observations and do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing.
Have Evidence of Online Fraud or Suspicious Activity?
Help document potential digital abuse through responsible, evidence-led research.