Bot Detection

Feature Snapshot

Summary:
Bot Detection is a feature that leverages ActiveProspect’s proprietary algorithm to analyze signals captured during the TrustedForm certificate process to determine whether a lead was generated by an automated bot instead of a human.

Key Benefits:

• Protects lead quality by identifying and flagging non-human submissions
• Prevents wasted marketing spend on fraudulent or invalid leads
• Enhances regulatory compliance and reduces legal risk by identified invalid records created by a bot

Typical Use Cases:

• Filtering out web form submissions generated by automated scripts
• Preventing bot traffic from skewing lead quality and conversion metrics
• Integrating with lead distribution systems (such as LeadConduit) to automatically reject or route leads flagged as bots

How Bot Detection works

Bot Detection evaluates a visitor’s execution environment, on-page display characteristics, and behaviors for patterns that are highly correlated with automated tools. We look for signals that indicate an automation-specific browser context, inconsistencies between a device’s claimed type and its display or interaction patterns inconsistent with human use to determine if a bot was used. The checks are lightweight, privacy-conscious, and continually updated. The outcome is provided as a property named “bot_detected” having a Boolean value (true/false) or null for unsupported certificate types.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

Integrate Bot Detection via the Certificate API

1. Make the API Request:
   Include “bot_detected” in the list of properties requested when making an API call to TrustedForm Insights.
2. Review the API Response:
   Examine the returned value of “bot_detected”:
   • If true, the certificate resulted from automated activity.
   • If false, no bot activity was detected.
   • If null, bot detection is unsupported for this certificate type.

Integrate Bot Detection via LeadConduit

1. Implement in LeadConduit:
   a. Open your LeadConduit flow and navigate to the “Steps” tab.
   b. Add a TrustedForm Add-On step configured for Insights and select the Bot Detection data point.
2. Apply a Filter:
   Optionally, introduce a filter step to automatically reject or route leads where “bot_detected” is true.
3. Save and Test Your Flow:
   Save your configuration and submit a test lead to verify that the “bot_detected” property is correctly captured and triggers the intended filtering action.

Expected Result:
The API response and appended lead data will include a “bot_detected” field indicating true if bot-like behavior is detected (leading to a rejection or alternate routing) and false if human behavior is confirmed. For unsupported certificate sources, the field will return null.

Best Practices

• Automatically filter or flag leads where “bot_detected” is true to maintain high lead quality and mitigate compliance risk.
• Alert partners if you notice a high or increased rate of bot generated leads

Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What does it mean if “bot_detected” is returned as true?
A: It indicates that the algorithm has identified signals that indicate the lead was generated by automated processes.

Q: Why might “bot_detected” return null?
A: A null value means bot detection was not performed, typically because the certificate originates from sources like Meta Lead Ads or native mobile applications where detection is unsupported.

Q: Can sophisticated bots bypass this detection mechanism?
A: While Bot Detection is designed to minimize false positives, highly advanced bots might occasionally mimic human behavior well enough to evade detection.

Q: How do I integrate Bot Detection into my existing lead processing system?
A: The steps to do this will vary based on the system you are using. Reach out to the system operator for help.

Glossary

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