Abstract：
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated and amplified the use of virtual research methods. While online research has several advantages, it also provides greater opportunity for individuals to misrepresent their identities to fraudulently participate in research for financial gain. Participant deception and fraud have become a growing concern for virtual research. Reports of deception and preventative strategies have been discussed within online quantitative research, particularly survey studies. Though, there is a dearth of literature surrounding these issues pertaining to qualitative studies, particularly within substance use research. Results: In this commentary, we detail an unforeseen case study of several individuals who appeared to deliberately misrepresent their identities and information during participation in a virtual synchronous qualitative substance use study. Through our experiences, we offer strategies to detect and prevent participant deception and fraud, as well as challenges to consider when implementing these approaches. Conclusions: Without general awareness and protective measures, the integrity of virtual research methods remains vulnerable to inaccuracy. As online research continues to expand, it is essential to proactively design innovative solutions to safeguard future studies against increasingly sophisticated deception and fraud.
摘要：
背景：COVID-19大流行加速并放大了虚拟研究方法的使用。虽然在线研究有几个优点，它还为个人提供了更大的机会来歪曲自己的身份，以欺诈方式参与研究以获取经济利益。参与者欺骗和欺诈已成为虚拟研究日益关注的问题。关于欺骗和预防策略的报告已经在在线定量研究中进行了讨论，特别是调查研究。不过,围绕这些与定性研究有关的问题的文献很少，特别是在物质使用研究中。结果：在本评论中，我们详细介绍了一项不可预见的案例研究，该案例研究涉及几个人，他们在参与虚拟同步定性物质使用研究期间似乎故意歪曲了自己的身份和信息。通过我们的经验,我们提供检测和防止参与者欺骗和欺诈的策略，以及实施这些方法时要考虑的挑战。结论：没有一般意识和保护措施，虚拟研究方法的完整性仍然容易出现不准确的情况。随着在线研究的不断扩大，必须积极设计创新的解决方案，以保护未来的研究免受日益复杂的欺骗和欺诈。
