I can't believe it happened to me: Account put on hold and got the dreaded canned response. And as you can see, I am not exactly new to this.
I always looked down on people that claimed to get banned for no reason, thinking that there must be some reason and that they had tried to cheat in some way. But now I know that is not always the case, as I realized that due to my message center being suddenly gone meant my account had been put on hold. After following up via chatbot I got the dreaded canned response:
"Hi there,
Thanks for getting in touch.
We're afraid you won't be able to take part in further studies on Prolific because your account has failed one or more of our automated checks.
Unfortunately, we can't give you any further information about the specifics of these checks.
If you have taken part in studies, you can still cash out any money in your account. You can also cash out any studies awaiting review once they’re approved and paid for by the researcher. This still applies if the total you’re cashing out is under $6/£6.
While we thank you for your interest in the platform, this decision is final. We also can’t allow restricted participants to create new accounts, so please don't attempt this.
Thank you for understanding and we're sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Best wishes,
The Support Team at Prolific"
I never use a VPN, I have lived in the US at the same address for 20 years, I have always paid attention and answered thoughtfully as my screenshot proves. (I did not bother fighting the two rejections shown because I wasn't fully aware at the time and my percentage was fine) I do not use ad blockers and I do not have an iPhone (those have possible cloud VPNs). I am at a total loss as to what may have gotten me flagged, as after over 2 years on Prolific I am aware of the famous pitfalls people fall into, and more than that I am the kind of nerd that actually enjoys contributing. I am turning 40 very soon so maybe they are just done with my demographic. No way to tell...
I have put in a ticket for appeal as per the "escalation" protocol on the support page, but looking at all the recent bans I have a slim sliver of hope. I am posting this more to let others know that it can happen to you, truly at random, and for no real discernable reason. I was wrong to think that everyone that said they got banned for no reason was hiding something. It happened to me. It's been a fun ride guys, I wish you all the best.
