if you have your team from the start of the season, and pay no money at all, I'd guess you won't get any info.
If you received your team during the season, you will get some info, because BB doesn't want you to receive nearly no info due to the fact you just arrived.
Last season I entered at PO-time, so I had no possibility to scout, still I received some valuable info.
scouting 18 and seeing 5 x 5* is a very good result, unless you see no 4stars!
I scouted 36, and only see 3 x 5*. I see a decent amount of 4 stars , so I think I will be able to get 1 or 2 of those 4 stars, would have liked one 5 star and 2 'suckers' better though.

We can't have it all.
your final question was already answered, as usual correctly, by Juicepats
They are not your friends; they dispise you. I am the only one you can count on. Trust me.