Definition:  Beta Test

1.  Software Development:

A beta test is the 2nd phase of software testing in which a sampling of the intended audience tries the product out.  This is to give the ‘product’ a “real-world” test, and partly to provide a preview of the next release.  In software, they usually use customers who volunteer to test the product.

2.  CyberScam:

A beta test is the ‘test’ phase of the scam, in which a small sampling of the intended population (usually on 1 or 2 states of the U.S., since they are abundantly populated).  This is to test the effectiveness and response to the scam, and to highlight any changes to the scam that may need to be done prior to the real release of the scam on the entire intended population.