Rating is based on past performance so if another member is at that rating level and isn't a brand new member to the site, they're at that level based on previous performance. At lower levels the incidence of players using any kind of assistance is very low.
What you're seeing as perfect play is almost certainly full of errors in the majority of the games.
https://www.chess.com/article/view/online-chess-cheating
That said, if you suspect someone of using disallowed resources you should report them.
https://support.chess.com/en/articles/8562517-how-do-i-report-someone
Discussions of cheating potential cheating or cheat detection are not allowed in the general forums. If you would like to discuss join the following club.
https://www.chess.com/club/cheating-forum
TLDR POV; you've always been a 450 elo average human, so you know how it feels to play against 450 elo opponents; when the 450 elo opponents start converting their blundered opens, somehow turning the entire board around in [THE ONLY] unbroken sequence of perfect planned moves that effectively force a position on you, that feels like you didn't even see them coming, that person's not a 450 elo.
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(Hi, I'm a casual. I like chess for fun and friendly competition. I don't sweat or get too deep into theory and rote-opening knowledge, I play the moves based on the board and I do some light calculation up to several moves ahead when really needed. The current rating system needs to change, and fast; left as is, it will permanently diminish casual interest in chess entirely; YES this affects tournament sweats too; casuals pay their bills.)
I can only speak as an amateur who has his moments of glory spiked with blunders. I'm not qualified enough to definitively say how or why, but I simply do not trust the rating system ***for low-elo players***-- I do not make that claim for intermediate or experienced rated players. I'm sure they have their own suspicions of their own kinds.
I understand this is a place of business that doesn't want to air out dirty laundry; but I'm just noticing things is ALL-- someone please explain to me why it feels like there's a LOT of engine-cheating going on in the below 500 elo games. I don't want to write an entire negative themed essay on my experience, I just want some explanation or clarification from other players across different skill levels, and hear what their experiences are.
To be specific, though, there is genuine cause for concern here; considering they actively promote their monthly subscription to users who want to get better by using the paid-for analysis "features"(which are very poorly explained, if at all); after every single game. That's a bit of a loose-fit connection... I'm sure there's no nefarious intent here at all on part of chess.com; but they definitely indirectly benefit from the user traffic and subscription sales.
Plausible deniability of the issue? Or just an uphill battle against AI normalization?
Both, neither... I make no formal accusations, but I've noticed several patterns that indicate this is well-known and allowed for, even facilitated by necessity.
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I know it's easy to get frustrated and complain without addressing how the suspected problem could be fixed. I'd like to discuss and maybe help do that here. Chess.com is most likely taking the issue seriously, but don't want to foster a community of sore losers finger-pointing at better players. It's a tricky problem for sure, and I assume anyone who gits gud doesn't have to deal with it nearly as much, but when they do, they see it as being more obvious than anyone else.
To be very plain, and factual above all else; digital cheating behavioral patterns are well known quantities, even outside the chess-context standards of move accuracy. If the issue is as bad as it seems to me as an inexperienced player, then there's good news; This is not hard to fix at all. Bad news; that indicates they don't want to fix it???
Thanks for the long read, and any clarification or ideas anyone has.