The least recognized (but quite common) form of smurfing is “innocent griefing”.

Let me explain.

There are a lot of griefers who know how to game the report system by griefing in a way that's practically un-reportable. That is, general anti-gaming that happens due to chat fueled ego (which is a key piece of context which overwatch cannot pick up) and that player electively refusing to join key fights.

You've likely met this sort of griefer before. They throw some sort of fit and farm away, refusing to ever join a fight. They farm for next game, intentionally. I've talked to one who confessed in chat explaining why they do this: They know that they can appear innocent in the overwatch system by simply farming safely "at the wrong time", and letting the team hopelessly 4v5. Without chat context, its impossible to identify this sort of griefing, but hell is it prominent.

Why am I saying this? Because this subtle behavior is mathematically enough to tip the balance of their average game to be in a flat 50% winrate in their chosen bracket. Win some games by playing beyond their skill level, then pull off the "innocent grief" in other games to offset the win.

There are people who intentionally smurf like this and people who offset their true skill level by being toxic in a lot of games.

The point I'm trying to make is that the overwatch system is 1) not harsh enough and 2) gets gamed by people who know how to grief in less detectable ways.

I just wanted to bring awareness to this.